Wine Advisor
Tenuta San Guido, Sassicaia Bolgheri 2012
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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 2012 Sassicaia is dark and immediate, with gorgeous up-front richness, density and power. Black cherry jam, cloves and new leather are some of the many signatures that take shape in the glass. The 2012 is an unusually deep, concentrated Sassicaia that is going to need time in bottle to develop the full breadth of its aromas and flavors. Today, it is a bit monolithic, so readers need to be patient.
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
Tenuta San Guido's newest release is the 2012 Bolgheri Sassicaia. This was a warm vintage, especially during summer months that saw hot winds and little rain. Thankfully, winter months delivered ample precipitation. Vines had good access to moisture underground. Production of the lower-tier wines was reduced: Le Difese was cut by 40% and Guidalberto by 30%. But Sassicaia’s production numbers remained stable at 200,000 bottles because all the estate’s best fruit was directed toward this product. Fruit was harvested a bit early to avoid problems with over ripeness. The wine presents a soft, velvety mouthfeel with plump cherry, fruity berry, blue flower and spice. Perhaps it shows more simplicity overall, but it does so with an impressive sense of harmony and confidence. This is not one of the great vintages of Sassicaia, but the wine flaunts its considerable pedigree nonetheless. It should age gracefully for twenty years or more.
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
From an early-ripening vintage, the 2012 Bolgheri Sassicaia shows bold lines and thick color concentration. It does exhibit a classic Sassicaia bouquet, but it does so minus that delicate floral embroidery that comes forth with such delight in 2013. This wine shows a harder, more determined edge. It is less remarkable overall, considering the amazing heights achieved in other vintages. It also reveals thin to medium texture. This Sassicaia roars in terms of bouquet, but offers more of a whimper in terms of mouthfeel. All the elements are there, but they are delivered in a more undertone and one-dimensional manner. It will probably flesh out further with more bottle age, but that leanness is just part of the 2012 vintage.
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
The Tenuta San Guido 2012 Bolgheri Sassicaia stands as the outlier in this mini vertical, a wine that does not conform to the same constraints of precision and depth seen in the other vintages presented here. Shaped by a hot and dry growing season marked by scorching winds from Africa, the early-ripening 2012 benefited from sufficient winter rainfall that helped build underground moisture reserves, creating some parallels with the 2023 vintage now coming to market. The wine shows an open-knit and relaxed profile, evolved with hints of amber at the rim, yet it remains sturdy with a noticeable firmness to the tannins. This is likely the best outcome the winemaking team could hope for given the conditions, and the persistence of freshness is what continues to hold the wine together today.
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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