(BOLGHERI – LIVORNO) Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, with the collaboration of Piero Antinori for commercialization and the consultancy of Giacomo Tachis, created one of the legendary wines that today symbolizes Italian excellence worldwide, Sassicaia. Discover information about the wines of Tenuta San Guido and their visits.
History of the Wines of Tenuta San Guido
The wines of Tenuta San Guido are legendary and seem to have originated in places predestined for wine production, akin to Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhineland, or Langhe.
The famous supertuscan wines owe their success to Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, the founder of Tenuta San Guido. Mario Incisa, a Piedmontese entrepreneur, married a descendant of a historic Tuscan family with immense properties along the coast of the region.
As a good Piedmontese and lover of French wines, Mario Incisa did not particularly like the local wines and therefore decided to plant his own Cabernet vines in 1942. The first wines of Tenuta San Guido were, to be honest, not well understood by those who tasted them, but he persevered, deeply believing in his project.
Believing in Sassicaia was also his nephew Piero Antinori, who, driven by the great respect between the two families, decided to support him in his production journey towards commercialization, providing him with the full collaboration of the oenologist Giacomo Tachis.
Together, they outlined and gave the final touch to Sassicaia, which debuted on the market with the 1968 vintage, bearing the label that is still in use today. When the first vintages of Sassicaia started to appear on the markets, they caused a stir and continue to do so.
The success of the wines of Tenuta San Guido elevated the fame of Bolgheri, transforming it from an ignored territory considered unsuitable for viticulture into a nerve center for many of Italy’s most prestigious wines.
Today, from an initial niche production of Sassicaia, the company has reached an average annual production of over 200,000 bottles. The estate of Tenuta San Guido currently covers 2,500 hectares, of which 100 hectares are vineyards.
Not everyone knows that the Incisa della Rocchetta family were also breeders of famous award-winning racehorses like the unbeaten champion Ribot. For this reason, Sassicaia, given its extraordinary personality, can be considered the Ribot among Italian wines.
Tenuta San Guido is now presided over by Mario Incisa della Rocchetta’s son, Nicolò, who, with his family, passionately preserves and passes on the company’s philosophy.
Philosophy of the Wines of Tenuta San Guido
An aspect that distinguishes the philosophy of the wines of Tenuta San Guido is the idea of creating authentic wines that tell the story of their terroir, in its specific pedoclimatic characteristics and the climatic trends of different vintages.
The technical management of the wines of Tenuta San Guido is coordinated by the agronomist Nicola Politi and a team including Marquis Nicolò Incisa, director Carlo Paoli, and other external consultants, including the oenologist Graziana Grassini.
The guiding idea behind production is based on precise choices aimed at enhancing the territorial identity of the wines. For this reason, indigenous yeasts are meticulously selected from those naturally present on the grapes for fermentation.
The meticulous agronomic work in the vineyard, extremely low yields per vine, and careful manual selection of the grapes are additional choices undertaken by Tenuta San Guido, ensuring that only top-quality raw material reaches the cellar.
While many successful companies lose their original flair over time, this certainly cannot be said for Tenuta San Guido, whose unwavering philosophy has always been to create wines that are not sophisticated and glossy but artisanal and authentic.
The Terroir of the Wines of Tenuta San Guido
The vineyards from which the wines of Tenuta San Guido originate are spread over 100 hectares with south-west exposures and altitudes ranging from 100 to 400 meters above sea level.
The soils are calcareous-clay, particularly rich in mineral micronutrients ideal for giving the wines a great concentration of polyphenols, sapidity, and aging potential.
The climate from which the wines of Tenuta San Guido originate is typically Mediterranean, favored by the thermoregulatory action of the Tyrrhenian Sea.
The fresh sea breeze mitigates the heat by caressing the vineyards in the summer months, while the wooded boundaries and hillside altitudes contribute to good temperature variations. All crucial ingredients that favor the refinement of aromas and the perfect ripening of the grapes.
Wines of Tenuta San Guido
The wines of Tenuta San Guido today come from about 100 hectares of vineyards and are divided into three different labels: Sassicaia, Guidalberto, and Le Difese.
Among the wines of Tenuta San Guido, Sassicaia is obviously the most iconic. This famous wine is produced from the meticulous blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc and is aged for 24 months in French oak barriques of different passages to enrich the aromas with elegant tertiary notes.
Noteworthy among the best vintages of Sassicaia are the memorable 1985, 1988, 1998, and the recent 2015, in which Sassicaia was recognized as the best wine in the world of 2018 by Wine Spectator.
Among the wines of Tenuta San Guido, there is Guidalberto, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot aged 15 months in French and American oak barriques. It is a Tuscan Bordeaux blend of great elegance, distinguished by aromas of ripe wild berries, balsamic notes, and Mediterranean herbs.
Finally, Le Difese, obtained from the blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese, aged for 12 months in French and American oak barriques. This represents the entry-level of Tenuta San Guido, but it is still a wine capable of captivating thanks to the complementary blend of the freshness of Sangiovese and the power of Cabernet.
The wines of Tenuta San Guido are all marked by undisputed elegance, eloquently echoing the Mediterranean character of Bolgheri. A legendary testament to the sensational oenological potential of Bolgheri and Tuscany.
Sassicaia
Description:
Opens with intense varietal aromas of blueberry jam, myrtle, garrigue, eucalyptus, and medicinal herbs. The sip is full-bodied and harmonious with powerful and velvety tannins well balanced by a lively acidity that creates balance and sensational freshness on the palate.
Alcoholic fermentation is carried out by indigenous yeasts in steel at controlled temperature, maceration for 9-12 days in steel. Aged for 24 months in French oak barriques.
Grapes: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc
Region: Tuscany
A wine of great elegance, refined but imaginative, that tells the eloquence of the Bolgheri terroir.
Score: 97 – (Vintage 2020) – Italy’s Finest Wines
Guidalberto
Description:
The nose is slender, with a well-defined and immediate fruit, joined by sensations of orange peel, red currant, and balsamic minty nuances.
On the palate, it is juicy, rich, savory, with a smooth tannic texture of great finesse and softness. The finish has balsamic hints of excellent persistence and drinkability.
A wine of substance, where the great clarity of the fruit and the forest echoes bring us back to the essence of a territory. Among the best Bolgheri for its seductive drinkability, with harmonious and peremptory chords.
Score: 94/100 (Vintage 2021) – Italy’s Finest Wines
Information & Contacts Tenuta San Guido
Address: Loc. Le Capanne 27, 57022 BOLGHERI (LI)
Phone: +39 0565 762003
Website: www.tenutasanguido.com
