Winemaker Notes
Blend: 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot, 10% Syrah, 10% Teroldego
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Plenty of currant, smoke and walnut shell aromas follow through to a full body, with chewy tannins and a slightly mouth-puckering finish. Made from a blend of cabernet sauvignon, sangiovese, merlot, syrah and teroldego. Drink in 2019.
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Wine Enthusiast
This blend of 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot, 10% Syrah and 10% Teroldego presents aromas of red-skinned berry, Mediterranean scrub and green peppercorn. The aromas follow through to the bright savory palate along with a hint of cinnamon while velvety tannins and fresh acidity provide support. Drink through 2019 to capture the fruit and freshness.
Disenchanted with Italian winemaking laws in the 1970s, a few rebellious Tuscan winemakers decided to get creative. Instead of following tradition, to bottle Sangiovese by itself, they started blending it with international varieties, namely Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah in differing proportions and with amazing success. However, some Tuscan Blends don’t even include Sangiovese. Somm Secret—The suffix –aia in Italian modifies a word in much the same way –y acts in English. For example, a place with many stones (sassi) becomes Sassicaia. While not all Super Tuscan producer names end in –aia, they all share a certain coy nomenclature.
An outstanding wine region made famous by Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, who planted Cabernet Sauvignon vines for his own consumption in 1940s on his San Guido estate, and called the resulting wine, Sassicaia. Today the region’s Tuscan reds are based on Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, which can be made as single varietal wines or blends. The local Sangiovese can make up no more than 50% of the blends. Today Sassicaia has its own DOC designation within the Bogheri DOC appellation.