Only wine from a single wine estate in Italy to have its own DOC.
Critic tasting note: (2009 vintage) "Perfekter Wein, aus einer Magnum- Flasche kredenzt. Wunderbar ausgereifte, aber trotzdem frisch wirkende Aromatik mit reifen Beeren, dazu Pflaumen, Lakritze, sommerliche Kräuter und ein Anflug von Pfeffer, Leder und Waldboden. Im Gaumen verführerisch mit weichem, aber doch präsentem Gerbstoff, getragen von einer saftigen Säure mit viel Schmelz." - 19/20, Vinum Wine Magazine
- Drinking Window: 2016-2040
- Alcohol ABV: 14%
- Blend: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon & 15% Cabernet Franc
Vintage Notes
The climate was excellent for the entire year. Between late autumn and early winter, we had very rigid temperatures that favoured the vegetative arrest of the plants. From mid-winter to late spring the rainfalls were incessant, combined with temperatures slightly below seasonal average. The bud pushing, as well as the following phenology phases up to the flowering, started with little delay. The summer season was very good, with sunshine and temperatures above the seasonal average. Between late July and late August, the temperatures were higher than seasonal average but, thanks to the presence of water in the soil and to the accumulation of winter and autumn rainfalls, we did not have problems in terms of water. The difference in temperature between day and night was excellent ensuring a good phenological ripeness of the grapes.
Harvest Date Notes: Early September - first days of October
Winemaking
The primary fermentation took place in temperature controlled stainless steel vats at a temperature of 30° - 31° C. The maceration of the skins lasted 15 days for both the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Cabernet Franc, with a combination of pumping over and délestage. The malolactic or secondary fermentation also took place in the steel vats.
Ageing
Following the malolactic fermentation, the wine was aged in French oak barriques for 24 months and a few more months in the bottle before being released on the market.
Established in 1948 by Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, Tenuta San Guido is a super-premium Italian wine producer with 75 hectares of vineyards in the Bolgheri DOC in Tuscany. Best known for producing "Super Tuscan" wines, its flagship wine Sassicaia is considered one of Italy's leading Bordeaux-style reds. Prior to 1994, Sassicaia was classified as a simple Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) as it was made from non-traditional varieties for the region and thus was excluded from DOC status. To rectify the situation, Sassicaia was granted its own DOC (Sassicaia DOC) in 1994, the only wine from a single estate in Italy to enjoy this privilege. Alongside Sassicaia, Tenuta San Guido also produces a second wine; a Cabernet Merlot Sangiovese blend called Guidalberto.
