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This is a benchmark vintage, offering special appeal thanks to its profound sharpness and precision. The Tenuta San Guido 2021 Bolgheri Sassicaia remains fixed and immobile, like a time capsule of the vintage itself. One member of the winery team with whom I tasted used the word “granitic,” referring to its frozen, statue-like posture, a description I found especially fitting for the wine’s character. Whereas the 2016 vintage shows iron-like minerality, the 2021 reveals brilliant limestone clarity followed by dark currant, dried mint and blood orange. Cabernet Franc is reduced to 12% in this blend alongside Cabernet Sauvignon. The mouthfeel is complete and profound, defined by freshness and firm texture, and even when revisited nearly an hour later, this stone statue of a wine did not budge. This is a bottle clearly built for long cellar aging.
Italian Red Blends stand as a testament to the country’s rich winemaking diversity and heritage. Comprising a harmonious mix of indigenous and international grape varieties, these wines encapsulate the unique character of Italy’s diverse wine regions. Blends like Super Tuscans, combining Sangiovese with Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, showcase a fusion of tradition and innovation. The Nebbiolo-based blends from Piedmont, such as Barbaresco and Barolo, exemplify elegance and longevity. Each region contributes distinct flavors, from the bold red fruits of the south to the structured tannins of the north.
The artistry lies in winemakers’ hands, skillfully crafting blends that balance acidity, tannins, and fruit expression. Italian Red Blends offer a kaleidoscope of aromas, flavors, and textures, reflecting the country’s varied terroirs. Whether exploring a classic Chianti blend or a contemporary interpretation, these wines invite enthusiasts on a captivating journey through Italy’s winemaking mosaic.
Country
Italy
There are few countries in the world with a viticultural history as long or as illustrious as that claimed by Italy. Grapes were first being grown and cultivated on Italian soil several thousand years ago by the Greeks and the Pheonicians, who named Italy 'Oenotria' – the land of wines – so impressed were they with the climate and the suitability of the soil for wine production. Of course, it was the rise of the Roman Empire which had the most lasting influence on wine production in Italy, and their influence can still be felt today, as much of the riches of the empire came about through their enthusiasm for producing wines and exporting it to neighbouring countries. Since those times, a vast amount of Italian land has remained primarily for vine cultivation, and thousands of wineries can be found throughout the entire length and breadth of this beautiful country, drenched in Mediterranean sunshine and benefiting from the excellent fertile soils found there. Italy remains very much a 'land of wines', and one could not imagine this country, its landscape and culture, without it.
Region
Tuscany
The central Italian region of Tuscany is widely understood to be one of the world's most famous and highly regarded wine regions. The beautiful rolling hillsides and medieval towns and castles which are a key feature of the area are also home to many of Europe's finest wineries, and extremely high quality vineyards growing the distinctive Sangiovese and Vernaccia grape varietals which are the flavorful backbone of Tuscany's wonderful red and white wines. For almost three thousand years, this region has been recognized as an ideal home for wine production on a large scale, and the ancient Etruscans, Greeks and Romans all noticed that fine grape varietals flourished on the unique soils and under the hot sunshine which typifies the area. Today, Tuscany is home to a wide range of wines, from the traditional to the complex, but all dedicated to excellent flavors and aromas, and maintaining the region's international reputation.
Appellation
Bolgheri
Bolgheri, nestled along the sun-soaked Tuscan coast, is a revered wine appellation renowned for producing outstanding red wines. What sets Bolgheri apart is its pioneering role in the creation of “Super Tuscan” wines, challenging traditional Italian winemaking. These wines often blend indigenous Sangiovese with international varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, resulting in rich, complex flavors and a remarkable aging potential. Bolgheri’s coastal location influences a distinctive microclimate, characterized by warm days and cool maritime breezes, imparting freshness and structure to the wines. Notably, Sassicaia, born in Bolgheri, stands as a global benchmark for quality. Bolgheri wines, with their innovative spirit and unique terroir, encapsulate the essence of modern Italian winemaking, offering enthusiasts an exciting journey through the evolution of this dynamic appellation.
WA100pts
Wine Advocate
This is a benchmark vintage, offering special appeal thanks to its profound sharpness and precision. The Tenuta San Guido 2021 Bolgheri Sassicaia remains fixed and immobile, like a time capsule of the vintage itself. One member of the winery team with whom I tasted used the word “granitic,” referring to its frozen, statue-like posture, a description I found especially fitting for the wine’s character. Whereas the 2016 vintage shows iron-like minerality, the 2021 reveals brilliant limestone clarity followed by dark currant, dried mint and blood orange. Cabernet Franc is reduced to 12% in this blend alongside Cabernet Sauvignon. The mouthfeel is complete and profound, defined by freshness and firm texture, and even when revisited nearly an hour later, this stone statue of a wine did not budge. This is a bottle clearly built for long cellar aging.
DC99pts
Decanter
In 2021, ‘we had a nicely paced harvest... surely a very fortunate vintage for us, for Bolgheri,’ said Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta at the launch in London of the 2021 vintage of Sassicaia. Welcome rain in mid-August came at just the right time to save the harvest, and production ended up being slightly higher than in 2020. Around eight to 10 separate vinifications were made, fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts and spontaneous malo. The wines were racked to second- and third-use barriques in December 2021, then racked into a mixture of new and used barriques in March 2022. The last step was to make the final blend in stainless tanks, where the wine underwent micro-oxygenation before bottling and further maturation in bottle. Rich dark fruit and herb aromatics are pockmarked by blueberry and petrichor, leading into an intense and vertical palate that's super-fresh with a delightful breezy, saline character. Textured, integrated tannins emphasise the refinement of Sassicaia, showing just a touch of youthful dustiness. Tangy, bright black, blue and red berry fruits overlay underlying hints of dark chocolate and forest undergrowth in a remarkably precise fashion, with pomegranate and a stony minerality surfacing on the mid-palate. 2021 demonstrates lovely sapidity of fruit along with that characteristic freshness and lightness of step, finishing long and poised. Superb.
JD99pts
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2021 Sassicaia is remarkable for being simultaneously complex yet transparent. In the glass, it displays a bright jeweled ruby red hue. On my second tasting of this wine, the nose was much more expressive than in my initial tasting the previous day, offering pure aromas of raspberry, pretty lifted spices and lavender, dusty earth, and fresh Mediterranean herbs, and as it opens, it develops notes of rhubarb, incense, and sandalwood. The palate is pure and expressive, with well-defined, ripe tannins, seamless acidity, and refreshing saltiness, but its shining pure fruit is what stands out and will shine for decades to come.
WS98pts
Wine Spectator
Rich yet elegant, laced with black cherry, blackberry, cedar, mineral and oak spice aromas and flavors, this resonant red builds to the long, detailed aftertaste. Shows great balance, with vibrant acidity and refined tannins, yet this will benefit from a few more years of aging. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2045.
JS98pts
James Suckling
#99 in Top 100 World, 2024. Very classy and typical of Sassicaia with currant, tobacco, chocolate, sage and lavender on the nose and palate. Medium- to full-bodied with very integrated and refined tannins that are caressing and pretty with a lovely length and beauty. Such finesse and structure at the same time. Best in 2028 and beyond but already joy to taste.
VM98pts
Vinous Media
The 2021 Sassicaia is one of the great modern-day Sassicaias. Powerful and imposing in its first impression, the 2021 makes it clear from the outset that it's a long-distance runner. A rush of dark red/purplish fruit, blood orange, dried flowers, graphite, mint and sage all build into an utterly captivating crescendo of aromas, flavors and textures. The growing season was characterized by cool and wet conditions that began during the 2020/2021 Winter and then carried into spring. Conditions were varied throughout spring, with episodes of both rain and heat. Temperatures were warmer than usual at the beginning of summer, then moderated during August. At harvest, grapes were especially concentrated. That allowed for long macerations, as long as 20 days for some Cabernets. Aging was 25 months in French oak barrels (95% French, 5% a mix of Hungarian and Slavonian wood), 40% new, 40% once-used barrels and 20% twice-used barrels. One of the recent developments here is some bâtonnage in aging, which is used to build texture. The 2021 is quite simply dazzling.
Winery Notes
The first Super Tuscan, this great Cabernet allies a dense core of pure, ripe black currant fruit flavors and aromas with smoky notes of cedar, tobacco and vanilla to a refined supporting acidity and a sleek, finely integrated tannic structure.
375ml
