The wine that comes from the stones... The 1968 vintage saw the debut on the market of Sassicaia, a courageous wine that at the time was outside the canonical way of making wine in Tuscany. The wine takes its name from the stony soil from which it comes, but by its nature it is destined to travel very far.
- TYPE OF SOIL They show different and composite morphological characteristics, with the presence of calcareous areas rich in marl, as well as stones and stones and partially clayey. The production plants are located at an average altitude between 80 and 400 meters above sea level, with exposure to the West/South-West.
- CLIMATE TREND After an autumn with mild temperatures and frequent rains, the winter was quite dry and with temperatures often above the seasonal norm. Spring has arrived a little early and, since mid-March, the beautiful sunny days and the significant increase in temperatures have brought forward the swelling of the buds. However, in April the climate changed again with a substantial drop in temperatures and the return of rain. The entire month of April was very rainy, normalizing the soil's water reserve. The continuation of spring was unusual with rain and cold temperatures also affected by the north winds. Since the end of May the weather conditions have improved and since June summer has arrived with sunny days, normal temperatures and excellent ventilation (especially at night). The end of June recorded intense temperatures but fortunately the sultry heat only lasted for a short time, and the rest of the summer stabilized at temperatures well within the seasonal average. July and August were hot but always with normal temperatures, without any excess, except for the last week of July where the sultry heat lasted for about a week. Immediately after mid-August, some rains occurred which brought refreshment and helped to normalize the vitality of the plants.
- HARVEST The harvest, carried out entirely by hand, began in the second week of September with the Cabernet Franc grapes and then continued with the Cabernet Sauvignon, starting first from the vineyards located at lower altitudes, until finishing in the first ten days of October, in those on hills above 300 meters above sea level.
- VINIFICATION Selection of the grapes via sorting table, soft pressing and delicate destemming of the grapes using machinery suitable for not breaking the integrity of the grapes. The alcoholic fermentations (completely spontaneous and without the addition of external yeasts) concluded in mid-October and took place regularly and at maximum temperatures of 26-27 °C. The malolactic fermentations carried out in steel were completed regularly at the end of November thanks to the reduced external temperatures. At the beginning of December the wine was placed in barriques from the first ten days of December 2019.
- REFINING At the end of the malolactic fermentation and after a rotation of decanting to ensure cleanliness, the wine begins the period of refinement in French oak barriques for a period ranging from 20 to 25 months. The duration of the refinement is technically decided based on the seasonal trend of the vintage.
Data sheet
SIZE : 3 liter bottle.
ORIGIN : Tuscany.
VARIETIES : Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.
ALCOHOLIC CONTENT : 14% vol.
SERVING TEMPERATURE: Temperature between 12/18°C.
STORAGE METHOD : In a cool place and away from sunlight.
PRODUCER : Tenuta San Guido - Bolgheri, Livorno.
SPECIFIC NOTES : Contains sulphites.
Tenuta San Guido
Tenuta San Guido takes its name from San Guido della Gherardesca who lived in the 13th century. It is located on the Etruscan coast between Livorno and Grosseto, in the Maremma made famous by the verses of Giosuè Carducci and extends for 13 kilometers from the sea to behind the hills. It contains within it three excellences: the Sassicaia, the Dormello Olgiata breed of thoroughbred horses and the Padule di Bolgheri Wildlife Refuge, the first in Italy. They are the cardinal points of the Estate and also mark the territory geographically: the Marshes towards the sea, the training center on the plain and the vineyards that reach up to almost 400 meters among the scrub on the hills. An ideal situation because with 2,500 hectares available it was possible to find the 75 hectares most suitable for Sassicaia. So exceptional that they deserve their own DOC (DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia) which is the only one in Italy to be included entirely in a property.