Sassicaia, the Bolgheri wine that started a movement, celebrates its 50th anniversary at Tenuta San Guido this year. It was named after the sassi (stones) that make up the terroir of Maremma. Terroir is how a particular region’s climate, soils and aspect (terrain) affect the taste of wine. The first bottle of Sassicaia was sold in 1968, while the 2018 vintage was released earlier this year. Although the road to fame was rocky (pun intended), Bolgheri is considered one of Italy’s leading regions for viticulture after just a few decades. Want to learn more? Let’s dive into the history of Bolgheri.
A Rocky Beginning
Bolgheri is an unlikely hero in the wine world. Located near the sea in southern Maremma, Bolgheri is best known for its Butteri cowboys, flat plains, and sandy soil. Unlike other wine regions in Tuscany that had centuries of tradition, Maremma wasn’t considered a notable wine region until recently. In fact, it wasn’t a prime contender to produce elegant wines until the 1940s and ’50s when Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta of Tenuta San Guido launched an experiment that would prove exceedingly successful in the region.
Originally from Piedmont, the nobleman, and agronomist had grown up drinking fine Bordeaux wine. He noticed similarities between Maremma’s soil and climate, and that of southwestern France. He wanted to try reproducing these fine wines in his new home in Tuscany. As a result, he planted Cabernet Sauvignon on a rugged plot of land primarily used to breed horses.
In 1968, he put his first wines on the market. However, they didn’t fit into the higher-level Italian wine classifications of DOC or DOCG. These classifications serve to guarantee how “typically” a wine expresses its terroir. In order to acquire these labels, winemakers must follow strict regulations that identify specific winemaking methods. Specifically, the grapes that are used to produce the wine and the percentage of each varietal that makes up the blend.
A Taste of Victory
Since these wines were produced with French varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, they didn’t fit into Italian classifications that were developed for Italy’s native grapes. They could only acquire the “IGT” label, an identification most commonly used for table wine. But Incisa della Rocchetta saw the potential in his wine and the region. He enlisted the help of Antinori’s famed winemaker, Giacomo Tachis, to perfect his wine. 10 years later, he changed the history of Bolgheri forever. In 1978, Decanter hosted a blind tasting competition with 33 Bordeaux blends from around the world. Sassicaia won first place.
Over the next few years, Bolgheri’s fame expanded throughout Italy and abroad. The wine began to be known as “Super Tuscan” and “Bolgheri DOC” became a label in 1983. In 1995, a categorization was created specifically for Sassicaia (DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia) making it the only wine estate in Italy with their own DOC label. Today, Sassicaia’s from great vintages can sell for thousands of euros per bottle.
Velvety and elegant, full bodied and heavy on black fruit flavors with some herbal notes—a Super Tuscan is a crowd a pleaser that is best enjoyed with grilled meats, hearty pastas and strong cheeses. Today, most winemakers across Tuscany produce their own Super Tuscan blends that compete with the more traditional Chianti Classico and Brunello di Montalcino. Italy may be the hallmark of strict traditional standards but Bolgheri’s success proves that sometimes it pays to break the rules.
