March
10, 2006
Sassicaia
2003
In This Issue
A
Note from Sergio
In the summer of 2003, Italy was gripped with an intense heat
wave. I had been driving around the country, from Friuli to
Basilicata, tasting wines, and everywhere I went, stressed-out
producers were hurriedly harvesting their crops weeks—sometimes
even a month—before they usually did. I remember sitting
at a table at Tenuta San Guido, the estate that produces Sassicaia.
Tractors kept passing by, setting down cartons of fruit around
which masses of bees were hungrily swarming. I tried a few
grapes—they were fat, juicy, and sugary sweet.
It takes an accomplished winemaker to make a well-balanced
wine in a year like that. I've returned to Italy many times
to taste wines from the 2003 vintage and have found that,
predictably, many producers, worried that their grapes might
burst when over-ripe, harvested too early. Their miscalculation
resulted in batches of tart, syrupy wines full of underdeveloped
tannins. But the wines of Tenuto San Guido are different.
When I arrived at the estate this January for my final tasting,
owner Nicolo Incisa della Rocchetta had bottles of Sassicaia
from 1999 to 2003 waiting for me. Drinking them reaffirmed
my belief that from an investor's standpoint, Sassicaia is
the best valued collectible wine Italy has to offer.
Simply put: it's consistently excellent and undeniably distinct;
it ages beautifully; and it appreciates quickly and at a high
rate. Even in the 2003 vintage, Sassicaia was well-balanced
and wonderfully-structured. And though it was dark, it had
the same personality as the light 2002. The same went for
the 1999, the 2000, and the 2001: with the exception of some
vintage influence, the wine doesn't change. Its character
is distinct and indescribable, completely different not only
from every other Super Tuscan but also from every wine in
the world. I've tasted it in nearly every vintage made in
the last 38 years and can attest to the fact that it ages
endlessly and drinks beautifully forever. And you can buy
it at a relatively reasonable price and often see it quadruple
in value within a decade. Of course, Sassicaia has its detractors,
those who insist that its quality is fading. In my experience
I've found that most of those naysayers are newcomers to the
industry. They've read decades' worth of articles touting
Sassicaia's quality and value and then they've sat down and
tasted a single bottle from 1998. Upon finding a wine that
in no way resembles bold, modern drinks, they've decided that
while the wine may have once been good, it's officially fallen
from grace. "But have you ever had a Sassicaia from the
'60s or 70's?" I ask them. And without fail, they haven't.
Sassicaia's critics, most of whom came of age in a culture
that awards high scores to big, soft wines, usually have a
warped frame of reference. In fact, the quality of Sassicaia
has never faltered. But it's reserved; it needs time—it
never shows right out of the bottle. And to be truly appreciated,
it must be enjoyed with food.
Today I've put together a range of vintages, as well as some
of Tenuto San Guido's other masterpieces. The bottles of Sassicaia
listed below are, in my opinion, one of the smartest investments
a collector can make.
My best,
Sergio Esposito
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Sassicaia: The Super Tuscan Pioneer
Before the 1960s, nobody had ever considered crafting a Bordeaux-style
wine from vines grown in Italy, much less from fruit grown
along the Mediterranean coastline of Toscana’s Maremma
zone—an area widely considered unfit for quality wine
production. The theory back then was that vines exposed to
the sea winds and salty air of Bolgheri would provide poor
grapes. More importantly, the viticultural regulations set
forth by the DOC and DOCG limited creativity, expression,
and the qualitative potential of the terroir. However, the
drive and foresight of Mario Incisa della Rocchetta changed
all that and made enological history with the creation of
Sassicaia.
Like most Italian aristocrats, Mario had been exposed to the
famed wines of France. Upon settling with his wife in Bolgheri
at his Tenuta San Guido estate, he noticed that the soil on
his property was similar to that of the Graves appellation
in Bordeaux—rocky, as the name Graves, or "gravel"
in French, suggests. In 1944, with the help of traveling consultant
Tancredi Biondi Santi, he planted cuttings of Cabernet Sauvignon
from Bordeaux's Château Lafite and thus began to make
the wine that he later dubbed Sassicaia, or "stony ground"
in the Tuscan dialect.
In 1968, after a quarter century of experimentation and
enological assistance from Piero Antinori's winemaker, Giacomo
Tachis (Solaia & Tignanello), Tenuta San Guido released
to the open market the first vintage of Sassicaia, and critics
and consumers around the world immediately extolled Mario’s
invention. Today, Sassicaia—a now legendary wine single-handedly
responsible for launching the Super Tuscan movement—may
be the most coveted Cabernet Sauvignon-Cabernet Franc blend
ever produced. The regard for this wine is so high that
in 1994 it was knighted its own DOC status by the classification
system that shunned its initial efforts—this is a
first for Italian wine.
Sassicaia
Sassicaia is a masterful cuvée of the best Cabernet
Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grapes from the vineyards of
Castiglioncello, Doccino, Quercione, San Martino, Mandrioli,
Sassicaia, and Aianova, all of which are situated on hilly
slopes in a subzone of Bolgheri. When blended, the fruit
from these carefully selected and meticulously cared-for
sites creates an elegant and beautifully balanced wine.
Tenuta
San Guido 2003 Sassicaia $127.45*
Tenuta San Guido 2003 Sassicaia $71.61 (375ml)*
Tenuta San Guido 2003 Sassicaia $273.00 (1.5L)*
Tenuta San Guido 2003 Sassicaia $675.00 (3.0L)*
Tenuta San Guido 2003 Sassicaia $1,550.00 (6.0L)*^
Tenuta San Guido 2002 Sassicaia $69.95 (375ml)
Tenuta San Guido 2002 Sassicaia $137.00
Tenuta San Guido 2002 Sassicaia $295.26 (1.5L)
Tenuta San Guido 2001 Sassicaia $375.00 (1.5L)
Tenuta San Guido 2001 Sassicaia $149.99*
Tenuta San Guido 1999 Sassicaia $179.00*
Tenuta San Guido 1997 Sassicaia $169.97 (375ml)*
Tenuta San Guido 1997 Sassicaia $338.37*^
Tenuta San Guido 1990 Sassicaia $449.00*
Tenuta San Guido 1989 Sassicaia $295.00*
Tenuta San Guido 1985 Sassicaia $1,295.00*
Tenuta San Guido 1982 Sassicaia $549.00
*These wines are sold as future arrivals
^Limited availability
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for more recent offers from IWM.
Guidalberto: Sassicaia's Cousin
The 2000 vintage was the first release of a new wine created
by the mastermind of Sassicaia, Nicolò Incisa della
Rocchetta, and his stepson, Sebastiano Rosa, former manager
at Argiano who collaborated in the creation of the Super Tuscan
Solengo. Named for Guidalberto della Gherardesca, a maternal
ancestor of Nicolò's who cultivated vines in Bolgheri
in the 19th century, the wine is based on a different idea
than Sassicaia (as detailed below), though undoubtedly shaped
by the same soil and climate. One interesting note about Gherardesca
is his historic planting of the famous Cypress alley leading
to Bolgheri—a national landmark that symbolizes Bolgheri's
Super Tuscan movement.
Guidalberto
The grapes for the Guidalberto are grown on lands adjacent
to the Sassicaia vineyards in a site owned by Conti Zileri,
cousin to the Incisa della Rocchetta family. Vinification
takes place separately for each of the three varieties: Cabernet
Sauvignon (45%), Merlot (45%), and Sangiovese (10%). Oak aging
occurs over twelve months in 225-liter French and American
oak barrels. As in Sassicaia, the signature bouquet of the
estate is easily detected. The wine displays similar finesse
on the front of the palate and culminates in a rich, lasting
finish.
Tenuta
San Guido 2003 Guidalberto $69.00
Tenuta
San Guido 2003 Guidalberto $148.00 (1.5L)
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to shop the IWM store.
Le
Difese: Third Wine of Sassicaia
The legend continues... First Sassicaia, then Guidalberto,
and now Le Difese. The label bears a wild boar and the name
difese indicates "defenses." When asked to describe
the meaning of the label, the Marchese answers, “The
defenses are the teeth of the boar and the boar, when he is
attacked, counter-attacks with his teeth, his 'defenses,'
to be exact.” Such an explanation leaves itself open
to interpretation, but here’s what we can tell you for
sure: this wine represents a departure from international
varietals with a focus on the noble Sangiovese as its base,
accompanied by a 10% dosage of Cabernet Sauvignon. While the
Guidalberto grabbed the headlines back in 2000, this cousin
of the mythical Sassicaia was quietly released with the 2001
vintage in 2003. Only 500 cases were distributed to local
wine bars near the Bolgheri estate for barely six euros a
bottle. IWM was the first to bring this wine to American soil,
and it remains virtually unavailable elsewhere in this country.
Le Difese
As for Sassicaia and Guidalberto, the climate, influenced
by the proximity of the sea and the hills surrounding the
vineyards, which protect them from the winds, has a very
strong influence on the correct and healthy maturation of
the grapes for Le Difese. While predominantly Sangiovese,
unlike the other two wines, this wine retains the signature
house aromas that not only indicate the estate but also
brand it as a distinctly Tuscan wine.
Tenuta
San Guido 2003 Le Difese $29.50
Six-Pack
Sampler: Icons of the Movement
The Tuscan hills are known for their great beauty and wines.
Here, noble Sangiovese displays her brilliance and numerous
personalities through the various strains that have adapted
to individual vineyards and microclimates. When blended with
complementary grapes she is capable of framing superb wines
which seem more familiar to non-Italian wine drinkers. Conquering
armies such as Napoleon's are responsible for bringing international
varietals to Italy, but it wasn't until 1944 that their presence
set the stage for Toscana's wine renaissance. That is when
Italy's first relevant traveling consultant, Tancredi Biondi
Santi, helped Mario Incisa della Rocchetta plant Cabernet
Sauvignon at his Tenuta San Guido estate a few miles from
the coast.
In 1968, Mario's cuvée of Cabernet Sauvignon and
Cabernet Franc was named Sassicaia and changed the course
of Italian wine. While tradition is Italy's strength, it's
important to recognize that it has always welcomed change,
and Italians' taste preferences have always evolved. After
all, Nebbiolo of Barolo was used primarily to create a sweeter
wine until it was altered by Louis Oudart in the 1840s,
and the preferred wine of Montalcino during the 16th century
was the dry Vermiglio, which later lost favor to the sweet
Moscadelletto. The efforts of Tancredi and Mario, though
pioneering, were also a part of the constant evolution of
Italian wine that is necessary but which suffers abuse at
the hands of less scrupulous winemakers. Building on the
success of the pioneering "Super" vini da tavola,
Bolgheri and the rest of Toscana experienced a proliferation
of international varietals. Even those who respect and uphold
tradition opened the door to change when wines like Tignanello
in 1971, Solaia in 1978, Grattamacco Rosso in 1982, Sammarco
in 1980, Ornellaia in 1985, Guado al Tasso in 1990, and
Vigna d'Alceo in 1996 charted the course for Toscana's success.
The Super Tuscans featured here are among the best Italy
has to offer and are mandatory staples for any enthusiast's
cellar.
Antinori
2001 Solaia $164.91
Tenuta
dell'Ornellaia 2002 Ornellaia $127.45
(Gaja)
Ca’ Marcanda 2001 Camarcanda $112.00
Tenuta
San Guido 2002 Sassicaia $137.00
Tenuta
San Guido 2003 Guidalberto $69.00
Montevertine
2001 Le Pergole Torte $79.95
IWM Super Tuscan Six Pack (6): $690.31*
*Free delivery in Manhattan
**These wines are sold as future arrivals
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for more six packs.
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