Sassicaia holds a unique place in wine history as the wine that single-handedly created the Super-Tuscan movement. The Incisa della Rocchetta family began planting Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc in the 1940s on their Tenuta San Guido estate near Bolgheri, on the Tuscan coast southwest of Florence. Initially produced for family consumption, the wine was first commercially released in 1972. By the mid-1980s, Sassicaia had earned a réputation that surpassed most of its Italian peers and competed with classified Bordeaux on equal terms.
Bolgheri DOC: The Only Tuscan DOC Named for a Single Estate
In 1994, Sassicaia became the first — and still the only — Italian wine to receive its own individual DOC appellation: Bolgheri Sassicaia. This recognition cemented the wine's status as Italy's most prestigious red. The Mediterranean climate of the Bolgheri coast, cooled by sea breezes, allows Cabernet Sauvignon to ripen fully while retaining the acidity and structure essential for long ageing. Gravel and clay soils of marine origin add a distinctive mineral quality that separates Sassicaia from any other Cabernet-based wine.
Tasting Notes, Key Vintages and Prices
Sassicaia typically blends around 85% Cabernet Sauvignon with 15% Cabernet Franc. The wine shows black cherry, cassis, bay leaf, cedar and graphite, with silky tannins and a long, précise finish. Legendary vintages include 1985, 1988, 2000, 2004, 2013 and 2016. The 1985 vintage scored 100 points from Wine Spectator — the first Italian wine to do so. Current releases are priced between €200 and €350 per bottle; older premium vintages trade for €500–€1,500. The second wine, Le Difese, offers the Bolgheri style at a fraction of the price.
