For over 20 years (between 1945 and 1967), a label known as 'Sassicaia' was made solely for family and the close friends of Tenuta San Guido, crafted from their 2500-hectare property on the sunny coastal plains of Bolgheri. The world of wine can be entirely thankful for the eventual decision in releasing to the public - few, if any, labels from Italy or elsewhere command the same veneration as this Cabernet-blessed legend. Acknowledged as the very first 'Super Tuscan' in a movement that has entranced three generations of growers and collectors, this is an endlessly complex blend of that holds potential heights of dizzying proportionss. Its ageability feels almost in a tier of its very own - those who have tasted one with years behind it know the silky depths that come out of hiding. For those continuing on that journey, or hoping to hop aboard for the first time, this 2022 release feels to us like the perfect moment.
'22 was a famously hot season; in lesser hands, that may pose a problem, but for this family, it only makes way for a wine of intense concentration, length and posture. The to and fro between acidity and freshness is always the Sassicaia signature, and through some significant rain in mid-August after the unrelenting summer sun had eased, the fruit did have a period to settle before harvest time came around. In its current state? Endless blackberry, tart cherry, balsamic, cedar, rosemary, vanilla and leather, each note rising then making way for the other in separate time. The sea breeze from the Tyrrhenian Sea and their calcareous, pebble-rich soils make sure of those characteristics. That said, this one has a seriously long life ahead of it, and will be shedding its baby fat over the next 10+ years. From there, it becomes a different beast altogether, and if allowed for 20+ years, will be starting to reach its absolute pinnacle.
This is always a very limited allocation (including one magnum available!) - both formats will be down on special for the next week only!
San Guido 'Sassicaia' 2022
$485 on special this week ($550 RRP)
MAGNUM also available for $1,125 ($1,295 RRP)
// 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Cabernet Franc
"Transparent crimson. Savoury, balsam, appetising nose. Much drier (as opposed to sweet) than the other wines here. Strong French influence on the reticent structure. Lots of fresh tannin currently dominates the fruit but the fruit is pretty nuanced and interesting. But it’s still extremely youthful. The most youthful wine here. Aerate before serving for many years." - 18/20 Points, Jancis Robinson MW
"The Tenuta San Guido 2022 Bolgheri Sassicaia reveals a beautiful fruit profile with fresh blackberry, tart cherry and Mediterranean tones of blue rosemary blooms and lavender sachet. I tasted this wine several times over the course of a few months, and it has already shown a happy evolution coming into slow focus like the faint colors that emerge from a Polaroid photograph. Indeed, the bouquet appeared more closed just a short while ago. The wine's strongest suit is its elegantly streamlined mouthfeel and its contained 13.5% alcohol content. These qualities add to the silky cleanness of the mouthfeel and the accessible freshness of this vintage. I am confident that this bottle will improve with time. It requires patience." - 97+ Points, Monica Larner, Robert Parker Wine Advocate
"The wine is tightly coiled and concentrated. It feels almost cinched at the waist, with a fascinating tension between the weight of raspberry, blackberry and strawberry coulis fruit and the wine's verticality, as if it's trying to burst out. Lovely midpalate sapidity is allied to fresh acidity and fine but dense tannins, making for a dark horse of a Sassicaia that isn't giving much away today but will greatly reward those who can cellar it for 12 years and more. ‘What is sure is that 2022 will need a lot of time, but will also have a long life,’ said Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta.'" - 97 Points, James Button, Decanter
If you wish to purchase this wine, please use the link above
If you have any questions, please contact us on (07)32521117 or email sales@thewineemporium.com.au
// Special prices valid until Saturday the 5th of September