# Sassicaia (2016)

- **Producer:** Tenuta San Guido
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc
- **Region:** Toscana, Italy
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.0%
- **Average price:** €650
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** blackcurrant, cherry, lavender, herbaceous, black pepper, cedar, smoke, cloves, charred wood, leather, tobacco, forest floor

## About this wine

Conceived in the 1940s by Marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, Sassicaia originated from the realization that the stony terrain of Bolgheri in Tuscany closely mirrored Bordeaux's Graves region. Defying local tradition, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc cuttings were planted. First commercially released with the 1968 vintage, Sassicaia led the Super Tuscan movement and ultimately earned its own dedicated single-estate DOC appellation, DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia.

## Interesting facts

- Bolgheri Sassicaia is Italy's only single-producer dedicated DOC appellation.
- The name Sassicaia translates locally to 'place of many stones', referencing its gravel soil.
- The iconic 2016 vintage received perfect 100-point scores from major global wine critics.
- Created by Marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta inspired by the gravelly soils of Bordeaux.

## Food pairing

Full-bodied red wines with high tannin structure and crisp acidity require rich proteins, savory fats, and earthy flavors to soften tannins and complement the wine's depth. The elevated alcohol and intensity will easily overwhelm light or delicate dishes.

## Wine making process

Hand-harvested starting in early September, grapes undergo careful table selection, gentle destemming, and soft pressing. Spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats at 28°–30°C with maceration lasting 13–15 days. After completing malolactic fermentation in stainless steel by late November, the wine is aged for 24 months in French oak barriques (one-third new).