Expect black currant, dark cherry, cedar, graphite, dried herb, and refined oak spice with full body, structured tannins, and bright acidity. The 2007 Tuscan vintage was warm and ripe; 2009 was good; 2015 was excellent and is regarded as one of the great recent Sassicaia vintages.
- Varietal
- Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant blend with Cabernet Franc (Sassicaia is traditionally ~85% Cabernet Sauvignon, ~15% Cabernet Franc)
- Region
- Italy / Tuscany / Bolgheri
- Body
- Full
- Style
- dry red, structured, age-worthy, iconic, Bordeaux-influenced
The producer
Sassicaia is one of the most historically important wines in Italian winemaking. First produced in 1968 by Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta at Tenuta San Guido in Bolgheri, the wine effectively created the Super Tuscan category and the Bolgheri DOC. Sassicaia was the first Italian wine granted its own DOC sub-zone (Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC). Famously inspired by Bordeaux, the wine helped redirect Italian winemaking toward international varieties.
What critics say
Sassicaia consistently receives scores in the high-90s from major critics and is one of the most historically important and collected Italian wines. The 2015 vintage in particular received Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year in 2018.
Pairing
Bistecca alla Fiorentina, herb-crusted rack of lamb, aged Pecorino