Bolgheri Sassicaia

The Bolgheri Sassicaia growing area lies within the administrative district of Castagneto Carducci in Tuscany. It extends in the area around Bolgheri from the Castiglioncello hills towards the coast. The vineyard plots are situated at around 80 to 400 metres above sea level, with westerly to south-westerly exposure, terraced and gently sloping hillside locations.

The nearby sea shapes the climate, while the hills protect against cold winds from the north and north-east. In summer, sea breezes provide cooling. For the delimited area, an average temperature of 14.5 °C, 584 millimetres of annual rainfall and a water deficit of 205 millimetres are given. The shallow, stony soils contain, depending on the location, stones, gravel, silt, clay, limestone and marl, and in places iron oxide. The name Sassicaia refers to the stone-rich nature of the vineyard soils.

Sassicaia is produced from Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The appellation requires at least 80 percent Cabernet Sauvignon; additional permitted red grape varieties may account for up to 20 percent. Tenuta San Guido farms the vineyards, among other things, using a low spur pruning, organic and restrained fertilisation, manual harvesting and seasonal dry pruning and green pruning. Yields are limited to seven tonnes per hectare.

In 1944, Mario Incisa della Rocchetta planted the first Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard for Sassicaia in Castiglioncello di Bolgheri. After a private phase from 1945 to 1967, the first commercial vintage was released in 1968. The sub-zone was granted DOC status in 1983; in 2013 Bolgheri Sassicaia became an independent appellation. The wine is dry, full-bodied, firm and structured; at least two years of maturation are required, of which at least 18 months in oak barrels with a maximum capacity of 225 litres.