SASSICAIA 2014

Tenuta San Guido
Bolgheri Sassicaia 2014

“A difficult vintage that required more green harvest than normal and leaf plucking round the fruit in June because of disease pressure. 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc. Fermented in tank with indigenous yeasts. 11-15 days’ vatting (longer than usual). Aged 24 months in French oak. Bottled in the last week. I had the impression that owner Priscilla Incisa Della Rocchetta and importer Armit were being a little bit defensive about this vintage – pre-empting suggestions that it was a poor vintage. But I don’t think they needed to be. Deep garnet. Smoky, dark and restrained on the nose. Lots of cassis but also a lightly savoury/meaty Italianate quality. Rounded and just a little chewy. Very approachable on the palate but not very expressive on the nose. Lively, elegant and long. Firm but not resistant tannins, finely textured. Rich fruit on the finish. Moderate length. Very fresh. Coming back to this after tasting the 2002 from magnum (the winemaker thought it was a good comparison to show the way a vintage similar to 2014 had aged), this seemed refined and elegant. Juicy and still dry on the finish. Very mouth-watering and makes you want to drink more. It may be a less powerful style than in some years but a significant achievement in 2014 in an attractive, balanced style. (JH/2/2017)” – 17.5/20, Jancis Robinson

VARIETIES: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc
REGION: Italy / Central Italy / Toscana
AGEING: Placed in French oak barriques, and a small part in American oak, where it was aged for a period between the 20 and 25 months
GUARDING POTENTIAL: Enjoy now or will cellar well up to 30 years
SERVE: Optimum drinking temperature is 16 – 18 ºC
FITS TO: Perfect for pairing with Filetto alla Griglia, Piciaccia della Toscana, Filetto di maiale ripieno and aged cheeses like Pecorino Toscano DOP / Formaggio caprino delle Apuane / Marzolino di Lucardo / Il Fossa del Greppo
CRITICS SCORES: RP/93, JS/92-93, JR/17.5
VIVINO: Average 4.5 ★★★★✰

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Bolgheri Sassicaia | 2014 Vintage | Tenuta San Guido

The DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia
THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING ABLE TO SELECT GRAPES

In a property that stretches over 2,500 hectares, we have chosen to select and plant vineyards exclusively on the most suitable lands, covering just a small area of the total surface. An area that is unique in terms of soil type, microclimate, and exposure that deserves its own appellation: DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia.

“We believe that Sassicaia is one of the greatest wine creations of the century. It also happens to be simply wonderful to drink. May it thrive through the new millennium” Serena Sutcliffe MW & David Peppercorn MW

Wine from the rocks
The 1968 vintage saw the debut of Sassicaia, a courageous wine that at the time, broke away from the standard way of making Tuscan Wine. The wine is named after the stony soil which it comes from, and, by its nature, is destined to go far.

SOIL STYLE
The soils on which the vineyards stand has varied and complex terrain features with a strong presence of limestone, feature areas rich in marl and pebbles as well as being partly clayey. The production facilities are located at an average altitude of between 80 and 400 metres above sea level, with a west/south-west exposure.

WEATHER TRENDS
This was a rather unusual vintage in Bolgheri, as it was in the rest of Italy. Certainly a somewhat hasty misjudgement. There was rain in Bolgheri, but not as much as in other parts of Italy. The Cabernet grapes reached phenolic ripeness never seen in other vintages, with great expression of aromas and perfumes favoured by the slow ripening on the vine. The winter was fairly mild, the spring began late with a rather harsh April compared to the seasonal norm, which contributed to the late start of vegetation. In May, vegetation started thanks to the arrival of warmer temperatures. The summer saw sunny days and average temperatures until the beginning of July. From the first ten days of July, there were a few disturbances that led to rainfall and a drop in temperatures, signalling the end of summer as early as mid-August. The tramontana winds at the beginning of September allowed the grapes to dry out and ripen slowly. The slow ripening and the climatic conditions allowed for harmonious wines, with a lower alcoholic impact but with a distinct elegance in perfect style with the philosophy of Tenuta San Guido.

HARVESTING
Harvesting, strictly by hand, began with the Cabernet Franc grapes, which were the first to reach optimum phenolic ripeness, in the second ten days of September, continuing with Cabernet Sauvignon from the end of September and then concluding, with the grapes from the vineyards on the heights of Castiglioncello in Bolgheri, towards the end of October. The grapes were healthy, with respectable veraison, low sugar content and good acidity.