The Birth of a Legend
In the warm embrace of the Maremma, near the Tyrrhenian coast, a dream ceased to be mere fantasy. Here, at Tenuta San Guido, an idea was born that would forever change the winemaking landscape of Tuscany: to create a great, long-lived red wine worthy of the finest Bordeaux. This dream took its name and character from a stony, tilled ridge: Sassicaia. The 2015 vintage, a year where the stars aligned for Tuscany, offers one of the most complete expressions of this legend. A wine you don’t just drink, but study. And it is our honour to present it to you at WeSud in Voula.
The Soul of the Place: The Unique Terroir of Bolgheri
The magic of Sassicaia begins even before a vine is planted. It lies in the strip of land that is Bolgheri, an area with its own microclimatic identity. The gentle, hilly slopes face the western sea, bathed in sun and refreshed by maritime breezes. The soils? That’s the secret. Rocky, full of limestone deposits and fossilised shells, they recall the soils of Graves in Bordeaux. This “Sassicaia” (from ‘sasso’, stone) imparts to the wine that noble rigour, mineral core, and astounding complexity that defines every sip.
A Family Philosophy: Respect and Expectation
Behind every bottle lies the philosophy of the Incis della Rocchetta family, an approach that combines respect for nature with unwavering demand. They do not seek fashion, but authenticity. From the selection of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc vines, to the long ageing in French barriques, every step is a careful investment in time. Viticulture is discreet, the harvest selective. Their goal is not merely to produce a good wine, but to imprint the unique vintage onto the eternity of the landscape. It is a labour of gratitude to the earth.
The 2015 Vintage: Nature’s Symphony
The 2015 vintage was, without doubt, a “great” year for Tuscany. It began with a warm, early spring leading to ideal flowering. The summer was warm and steady, without extreme heatwaves, allowing the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly, developing deep colours and ripe tannins. The absence of rain stress during harvest was the icing on the cake. These conditions created grapes of exceptional health and concentration, promising a wine of rare balance: power and elegance, density and harmony. A promise that Sassicaia 2015 fulfilled completely.
The Wine: A Sensory Journey
Sassicaia 2015 is a wine of pride. In the glass, it has a deep, nearly opaque ruby colour with garnet hues. The nose is a symphony of ripe red fruits (black cherries & plums), intertwined with darker notes like lavender, cassia, and a hint of tobacco. There is a liveliness of earthy scents, a muted echo of limestone. On the palate, it is powerful yet restrained, with tannins that wrap around you gently. The flavour unfolds in waves, revealing dark chocolate, damson liqueur, and a lively acidity.
A Legacy in Every Bottle: The First “Super Tuscan”
To understand the weight of the name Sassicaia, we must remember the revolution it sparked. It was the first wine in Italy to prove that a “Super Tuscan”, a wine that did not follow traditional designation rules, could rival the greatest reds of the world. It was an act of heretical innovation that paved the way for an entire generation of producers. Each vintage, especially 2015, is a chapter in the history of modern Italian winemaking, proof that courage and vision can rewrite the rules.
Why It Deserves a Place at WeSud
At WeSud, we always seek wines that are more than a product: they are experiences, they are stories. The Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2015 offers exactly that. It is a handbook of Italian maverick innovation and a masterpiece of quality that will mature for decades. It offers connoisseurs the chance to touch a piece of history, to taste a legendary vintage, and to understand the essence of Bolgheri. It is a wine for acquisition, for study, enjoyment, and remembrance.
The Magic of Patience
Sassicaia 2015, like all great wines, is a living entity that evolves. To open it today is an act of curiosity, revealing its rich youth. But to cellar it, and to wait with patience, is an act of faith. Faith in the land, in the winemaker’s hands, and in the magic of the vintage. In five, ten, or twenty years, it will reveal new layers, settle further, transform. This promise for the future, this continuous journey towards perfection, is perhaps its greatest value. We invite you to WeSud to discover, or rediscover, this Tuscan marvel.