TENUTA SAN GUIDO SASSICAIA BOLGHERI SASSICAIA 2018 375ml

KING OF SUPER TUSCAN

Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia is a legendary winery located in the Bolgheri region of Tuscany, Italy. The winery was founded by Mario Incisa della Rocchetta in the 1940s, who was inspired by the Bordeaux-style wines he had tasted while living in France. Sassicaia is considered one of the world's greatest wines and is often referred to as the "Super Tuscan" wine. It was originally produced as a private wine for the family and was not commercially available until the 1960s.
Sassicaia is one of the greatest wine creations of the century. It also happens to be simply wonderful to drink. May it thrive through the new millennium. The 1968 vintage saw the debut of Sassicaia, a courageous wine that at the time, broke away from the standard way of making Tuscan Wine. The wine is named after the stony soil which it comes from, and, by its nature, is destined to go far.
This is a classic vintage of an Italian icon now celebrating its 50th vintage. The Tenuta San Guido 2018 Bolgheri Sassicaia lays out a familiar blueprint that borrows from the proven track record of this landmark estate that extends into the hills just beyond the Tyrrhenian shores of Tuscany. This vintage is crystalline and pure in its delivery, and if you are familiar with previous editions, it is impossible to mistake this wine for anything but Sassicaia.

TASTING NOTE:

The growing season started off cool and wet but turned to warm and dry conditions comfortably before the harvest. Cabernet Sauvignon with Cabernet Franc in a supporting role deliver a graceful mid-weight texture that holds back style-wise in terms of phenolic density. The wine's careful balance is achieved thanks to the nuanced character of the fruit, the present acidity, the well-managed structure and the contained alcohol. The palate is lifted and bright, the finish is polished and long, and the wine skips over any heaviness on the mid-palate. The bouquet is especially intriguing with a very lively plummy fruit element that is enhanced by baker's chocolate, pepper spice, iron ore, caramel and pie crust. There is also a green character that adds positively to the bouquet with aniseed, tea leaf, soya, menthol rub and black olive. The fruit maturity is spot-on with no elements that feel over or underripe. Overall, the 2018 Sassicaia weighs in with a svelte frame and long persistence.

FOOD PAIRING:

This wine pairs well with a wide range of dishes, including grilled meats, roasted vegetables, and rich pasta dishes. It is also an excellent choice for cellaring, as it can age for up to 20-30 years.