BOLGHERI
toscana
Bolgheri is known for its "Viale dei Cipressi", the Avenue with the wonderful historical cypresses praised in the famous Giesuè Carducci's poem "San Guido". The poet lived here from 1938 to 1848. Arriving in Bolgheri tourists will find themselves in front of the castle with its red bricks which contrast suggestively with the green wood around it. The town which can be reached through an arched gate has kept its original aspect: the historical building, the old roads, the factories and shops create a fashinating atmosphere.
The History
This old medieval town is surrounded by a rich vegetation typical of the Mediterranean climate. It was completely destroyed in 1946. The origins of its name derives from Bolgheri, a famous local jurist and defender of human rights. Bolgheri was an ancient fief of the Gherardesca Family; it didn't change till 800 when important public works began. The castle was destroyed in 1496 by Maximilian I's troops. The beautiful "San Giacomo and San Cristoforo" church, the hospital and the several craftshops were built in 700. The castle and its tower date back to 800. The vegetation is very rich and varied: here you can find several different types of trees such as oaks, pines, junipers, cork-oaks and many others. Little rivers run through the green pinewood: the most famous are Fossa Cammilla river (its mouth is called Cioccaie) and Fossa di Bolgheri which bounds the town from Castagneto. Most of the wood is private so it is a rather inaccessible place. In the past Bolgheri was a very important port where goods came from everywhere.
Sassicaia - The Wine History
Bolgheri is known in the world for the very good wines produced in its lands. Among these wines, the most famous is the Sassicaia. As a student in Pisa during the 1920's, the Marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta dreamed of creating a "noble" wine. Like most of Italian aristocracy at the time, his taste in wine ran strongly to fine Bordeaux. After settling with his wife, Clarice, into their Tuscan estate at "Tenuta San Guido" on the Mediterranean Coast, he experimented with several French grape varieties and concluded, "the bouquet I was looking for" was found in the Cabernet. A wine that had Cabernet Sauvignon as its primary component represented a radical shift from the traditional Tuscan and Piedmontese varietals of Sangiovese and Nebbiolo. No one had never considered making a wine crafted along Bordeaux lines on Italian soil, much less in a region not yet established viticulturally. However, accustomed to the light, local wines, consumers did not respond well to the first vintages of Sassicaia. Wines made from the more complex Cabernet Sauvignon grapes take more time to mature and develop. Subsequently, from 1948 to 1960, Sassicaia was consumed only at the estate. Each year, a small number of cases were laid down in the cellars of Castiglioncello. The Marquis discovered that as the years went by, however, the wine greatly improved. As is often the case with wines of great pedigree, those things originally considered defects turned into virtues over time. Soon, friends and relatives were urging him to pursue his passion and to perfect his revolutionary style of winemaking.
In 1965, he planted two more vineyards comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc; the new "Sassicaia" vineyard was situated approximately 800 feet lower than the original Cabernet vineyard near Castiglioncello. "Aianova" was slightly more elevated and thus exposed to the weather. Eventually, all of the wine produced on the estate came to be known by the name of Sassicaia. The 1968 vintage of Sassicaia was the first to be offered on the open market, and it was as well received as the Premier Crus from Bordeaux. In subsequent years the cellars were moved to temperature-controlled quarters, wood fermentation vats were replaced with stainless steel ones, and French oak barriques were used for the ageing process. The Marquis' use of Cabernet grapes and his implementation of the barriques aging process soon spread throughout Italy. Sassicaia was the first Italian wine to successfully establish itself abroad, and is almost universally recognized as the father of the new Italian wine family or simply the Super Tuscan Pioneer. Mario Incisa della Rocchetta's planting is now considered the birthplace of Italian Cabernet. The new plantings and improved methods of vinification produced stunning results, and experts worldwide took notice. At a 1978 "Decanter Magazine" tasting in London, a panel including Hugh Johnson, Serena Sutcliffe and Clive Coates declared the 1972 Sassicaia the best Cabernet Sauvignon in a field of 33 wines from 11 countries. Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book, 1982 edition, called Sassicaia "Italy's best wine". The 1982 Sassicaia received the 1987 Vinarius Wine of the Year award. The Marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta passed away in 1983. His son, Marquis Nicolò Incisa della Rocchetta, now oversees all estate operations.
Vinification - The selection of grapes on the vine is seldom necesssary. The farming system and very low grape yield per trunk guarantee a healthy product rich in sugar, tannins, extract, etc. Vinification takes place in stainless steel vats of 35-110 hl with possible thermal conditioning of the fermentation process. Maceration lasts around 14 days. The Sassicaia is aged in 33% new 225lt. French oak barrels for 24 months, the Guidalberto for 12 months.
For other informations on Sassicaia wine visit www.sassicaia.com
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