Wine Advisor
Tenuta San Guido, Sassicaia Bolgheri 2008
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Description
Sasssicaia have property that stretches over 2,500 hectares, chosen to select and plant vineyards exclusively on the most suitable lands, covering just a small area of the total surface. An area that is unique in terms of soil type, microclimate, and exposure that deserves its own appellation: DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia. 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, to mark the boundaries between the different crops. Its ornamental value, with the tall cypresses running in double rows, came after that.
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2008 Sassicaia is a rich, deep wine imbued with notable class in its black cherries, plums, grilled herbs, minerals and smoke. The 2008 is a decidedly buttoned-up, firm Sassicaia that is currently holding back much of its potential, unlike the 2006 and 2007, both of which were far more obvious wines. Readers who can afford to wait will be treated to a sublime wine once this settles down in bottle. Muscular, firm tannins frame the exquisite finish in this dark, implosive Sassicaia. The 2008 Sassicaia is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc. The wine spent 24 months in French oak barrels. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2038. Tenuta San Guido is on a roll these days. Over the last few years, the estate has released a number of hugely delicious wines. These new releases are nicely aligned with their respective vintages. The entry-level Le Difese and Guidalberto both capture the essence of a sunny year that made wines well suited to near-term drinking, while the 2008 Sassicaia captures the potential of a powerful vintage characterized by low yields and a late harvest. Importer: Kobrand Corp., Purchase, NY; tel. (914) 253-7756
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
The 2008 Bolgheri Sassicaia is a wine without a winemaker. The last vintage made by Giacomo Tachis was 2007 and incoming enologist Graziana Grassini claims 2009 as her first vintage. Within the context of this retrospective, the 2008 vintage opens a new chapter, because it is the first wine to show evident tertiary definition and complexity. In fact, the wine performs beautifully with an exalted performance and ethereal aromas. They include cassis, wild berry, crushed mineral, licorice, petrol and grilled herb. This wine is really coming together now and is entering a very exciting moment in its drinking life. It boasts finesse, elegance and grace. Yet, it also shows unmistakable richness and structure that gives the wine an enormous presence in terms of mouthfeel. This was one of the top highlights of the retrospective.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2008 Sassicaia is a rich, deep wine imbued with notable class in its black cherries, plums, grilled herbs, minerals and smoke. The 2008 is a decidedly buttoned-up, firm Sassicaia that is currently holding back much of its potential, unlike the 2006 and 2007, both of which were far more obvious wines. Readers who can afford to wait will be treated to a sublime wine once this settles down in bottle. Muscular, firm tannins frame the exquisite finish in this dark, implosive Sassicaia. The 2008 Sassicaia is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc. The wine spent 24 months in French oak barrels.
About the Producer
Tenuta San Guido is located in the seaside area of Bolgheri in Toscana, Italy. The Sassicaia wine produced by the winery is known as the king of wine in Italy and enjoys the reputation of "Italian Lafite". Marquis Mario (Mario Incisa della Rocchetta) is the founder of the San Guito winery. He loves fine wine, horse racing and environmental protection, and has always dreamed of making a wine of excellent quality, an Italian wine that can swept the upper class. Well, it's Bordeaux style. In the 1940s, Marquis Mario and his wife came to live in the winery of San Guito. The innovation of "the first person to eat crabs". Winery San Guito made Sicilian wines from 1948 until the mid-1960s, but it was only consumed in-house. 1968 was a year to remember. This year, the ever-improving Cissicaia was launched for the first time. In the international blind tasting competition that year, Cissicaia’s excellent performance shocked the entire wine world, and its popularity was comparable to that of the top wineries in Bordeaux. Sanguito Winery's vineyard covers an area of 173 acres (about 70 hectares), all located in the DOC production area of Siciia, and the garden is planted with 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc. The average age of the vines is 25-30 years, the planting density is 4,000-5,000 vines/ha, and the average yield is 1 kg/plant. Winemaking at San Guito Winery takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel barrels that hold between 3,500 liters and 11,000 liters. The dipping time is approximately 2 weeks. Aged for 2 years in 33% new French oak barrels with a capacity of 225 liters. The main wine produced by San Guito Winery is San Guito Winery Xishijiaya dry red wine. This wine is one of the most famous Italian wines, made with Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Recent good years include: 2000, 1998, 1997, 1993, 1990, 1988, 1985, 1982, 1978 and 1975.
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Package Size
1 x 1.5L
