Sassicaia - Tenuta San Guido

Tenuta San Guido (Sassicaia)

Tenuta San Guido is more than just a winery; it is the birthplace of the "Super Tuscan" revolution. Located in the Bolgheri region of the Tuscan coast, this legendary estate famously challenged centuries of Italian winemaking tradition to create one of the most sought-after wines in the world: Sassicaia.

The History: A Visionary’s "Noble Experiment"

The story began in the 1940s with Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta. A lover of fine Bordeaux, he noticed that the stony, gravelly soil of his Bolgheri estate (which inspired the name Sassicaia, meaning "stony ground") bore a striking resemblance to the Graves region in France.

• The Rebellion (1944): Defying the local focus on Sangiovese, the Marquis planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. For decades, this "experimental" wine was kept purely for family consumption, as critics at the time weren't ready for a French-style red from Italy.

• The Commercial Debut (1968): It wasn't until the 1968 vintage was released commercially in 1971 that the world took notice. Sassicaia stunned the international wine community, famously beating top Bordeaux estates in blind tastings.

• A New Class of Wine: The success of Sassicaia forced the creation of the "Super Tuscan" category and eventually led to the estate receiving its own unique appellation—Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC—the only single estate in Italy with its own private denomination.

The Style & Philosophy

Today, under the guidance of the Incisa della Rocchetta family, Tenuta San Guido remains a bastion of elegance and restraint.

• The Winemaking: The wine is known for its "old-world" balance. Unlike many modern "bold" reds, Sassicaia is prized for its refined acidity, silky tannins, and complex notes of cedar, wild berries, and Mediterranean herbs.

• Beyond the Vine: The estate is a vast, 2,500-hectare ecosystem. Only 75 hectares are dedicated to vines; the rest is home to a world-famous thoroughbred horse stud (Razza Dormello-Olgiata) and a protected wildlife refuge (Padule di Bolgheri), the first of its kind in Italy.