What Are Your 99 Wines? (Part 22)

“Wine makes everything possible.”
– George R.R. Martin

Each wine I have shared in this series has caused me to muse over encounters I never want to forget. The experiences that I have shared with those with whom I have enjoyed the wines have created a bond that will never be broken, no matter how far apart we may be. I will always remember the experiences and the people involved with those wines.

60. Tenuta San Guido “Sassicaia” Bolgheri – Not everything super has a cape.

“Super Tuscan!” Just the name conjures up so many different things. What is so “super” about them? How are they different from other Italian wines? I shared a story about Ornellaia, one of my favorite Super Tuscans earlier in this series. However, there are other Super Tuscans that have made their way onto my list of 99 wines.

Italy is my favorite European country. I was baptized at St. Peters Cathedral in Rome; my late godparents were from Venice; I used to go to Italy several times a year on business; and Florence is my favorite city in the world. I have a connection to Italy. Thus, it makes sense that I would also love its wines.

I was introduced to Sassicaia by my late friend Cesare Vicario. Cesare and his brother Guido owned an Italian company based in Milan. Cesare was the COO, and I was fortunate to serve on the board of their company’s American subsidiary. I say I was fortunate because we held our board meetings in Italy, and I got paid to travel to Italy several times a year.

Cesare was a very cultured and erudite man who enjoyed fine dining and notable wines. He ordered a wine at dinner one evening. We spent about five hours at dinner, and Cesare taught me rudimentary Italian, introduced me to some sublime Tuscan food, and a little wine called Sassicaia that was produced by friends of his, who just happened to be members of the Antinori family. This was going to be my first time tasting Sassicaia, but it would most certainly not be my last.

Italy, like France, and other EU countries, has strict laws regarding how wines are produced. Italy introduced its controlling wine authority in 1963. It is known as Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC), meaning Controlled Designation of Origin. It is similar to the French Appellation d’origine Contrôlée (AOC) model on which it is based. The regions that produce wine are well regulated in terms of the varietals that can go into the wine, including percentage, where the grapes can be grown, how the grapes are grown, and even the alcohol content, amongst other factors. The Italian DOC goes even further than the French AOC model. Not only is the production area and methods for each wine specified, but certain wines must also pass a government taste test, to ensure the uniformity of the quality of the wines.

It is necessary to understand the Italian classification system to appreciate the quality of Italian wines. The Italian wine pyramid has four wine classifications: Vino da Tavola (VdT), Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT), Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC), and Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG). The DOC and DOCG levels are collectively referred to as Denominazione d’Origine Protetta (DOP).

Vino da Tavola (VdT): This is the classification for “table wine.” There is no geographical indication for VdT. Table wines are made from grapes grown anywhere in Italy. I will talk more about this later.

Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT): This is the broadest category. All grapes in IGT wines should come from the IGT region stated on the label, but otherwise the wines do not have to conform to strict standards regarding the style of wine.

Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC): Denominazione di Origine Controllata means “designation of controlled origin.” There are 329 different DOCs in Italy, which cover many types of wine from sparkling wines to dessert wines. This designation also includes both red and white wines. DOC wines must be grown and made in accordance with the rules of the appellation. Each DOC has its own rules about what varietals are permitted, harvest yields, aging, and other requirements.

Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG): This is the highest quality level. The DOCG designation was created in 1980 in response to criticisms that there were too many DOCs, and their quality was suspect. DOCG wines are intended to showcase the best wines Italy has to offer. DOCG wines are required to pass a taste test to be designated DOCG. This is the “garantita,” or guarantee.

Tuscany is my favorite part of Italy. Tuscany is home to the Chianti wine zone. I especially love its history. In 1716, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo III di Medici issued an edict which demarcated the first Chianti wine zone, now known as Chianti Classico. The production zones for Chianti are located in the areas surrounding Florence to the north, Siena to the south, Arezzo to the east, and Pisa to the west.

France has long been considered as the center of the wine-producing world. Wine producers from all over the world travelled to Bordeaux to gain a better understanding of the French winemaking process. One of these producers was Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta who dreamt of making Bordeaux-style wines in Italy. He planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc vine cuttings that he had received from Château Lafite-Rothschild in Bordeaux on land in the Tuscan coastal village of Bolgheri in 1948. There is a dispute about the origin of the vines, as some say that the cuttings were actually from an estate near Pisa. Myth or true, having a Château Lafite-Rothschild connection gives an already great wine estate a certain cachet.

The Chianti DOC’s strictures about the varietals permitted, harvest yields, aging, and other requirements are unyielding. The laws are designed to protect tradition, but they stifle innovation. Some producers of high-quality, but non-traditional wines chafed under the strict constraints they were required to follow to receive a DOC classification, which was then the highest classification.

The DOC restrictions require a minimum of 70% Sangiovese grapes to be used in producing the wines. This means that certain foreign single-varietals, such as a 100% Merlot, or varietal combination wines, such as a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc are prohibited. Using French grapes to produce a wine in Italy means that the wine does not conform to the DOC mandates under law as the grapes are not from a designated Italian region. Such a violation means that the wine could not receive a DOC or DOCG classification and would automatically be relegated to Vino da Tavola, or table wine, the lowest category.

Producers were given a Hobson’s choice: Compromise and make wines that conformed to the rigid strictures of Italian law; make the wines as they wish and have them classified as a mere table wine; make the wines exclusively for family and friends, but not available for commercial sale in Italy; make the wine available commercially, solely outside of Italy; or not make the wines at all. This is what I mean when I say that the Italian wine laws are stifling. Having a superior wine that cannot have a DOP classification would affect the sale, availability, and marketability of the wine, as it would be designated as a meager table wine.

One of the wines that was subject to this Hobson’s choice was San Guido “Sassicaia” Bolgheri. Sassicaia was praised by all who tried it. However, it would have been an anathema to sell such an exceptional wine commercially as a paltry table wine, so Incisa della Rocchetta elected to only share it with friends and family.

Incisa della Rocchetta’s nephew just happened to be Piero Antinori, of the famous Tuscan winemaking family. Incisa della Rocchetta’s uniquely blended wines were so enjoyed that the Antinori family prevailed upon him, and they introduced Sassicaia to the world with great success in 1968. Sassicaia and similar wines, such as Ornellaia, Tignanello, Solaia, and Masseto, became known as “Super Tuscans.”

At an event reminiscent of the Judgment of Paris, Decanter Magazine held a blind tasting competition for “Great Clarets” in London in 1978. The Sassicaia 1972 beat 32 wines from 11 countries, including France, to win its first international award. The Sassicaia 1972 even beat wines from some of the most prominent Bordeaux Châteaux. Suddenly, this unknown “table wine” was on the radar.

People queued in the freezing cold at 5 A.M. in front of the SAG liquor store in Montreal, Canada, that was to open at 10 A.M. to buy the Sassicaia 1981 upon its release. It became such a bonding event that badges were created which read, “I froze my ass for the ‘81 Sass.” Sassicaia’s 1985 vintage received a 100-point review from Robert Parker, who said the wine was reminiscent of the iconic Mouton Rothschild 1986. The 1985 vintage was awarded Gambero Rosso’s top Tre Bicchieri award. Wine Spectator named Sassicaia 2015 its “Wine of the Year” in 2018.

Bolgheri received its own DOC status in 1983, but only for the production of white and rosé wines. Bolgheri received the DOC status for its red wines in 1994. Sassicaia was then produced as a sub-zone of the Bolgheri DOC. The greatest irony is that even Sassicaia’s website classifies its wines as “Table wine” for vintages prior to 1993. In 2013, Sassicaia was awarded its own DOC, known as DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia. The wines are now classified as from Bolgheri DOC Sassicaia and is only wine in Italy that has its own DOC.

Now the world has discovered Sassicaia. It is typically a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc, aged for a minimum of two years, with 18 months spent in 225-liter oak barrels. The result is a remarkable wine that is breathtakingly aromatic, with suggestions of dark cherries, dark plums, and sweet red berries. Secondary aromas follow with spices, lavender notes, sweet tobacco leaf, and liquorice. This wine impresses on the palate, expressing finesse with mouthwatering black, blue, and red berry fruits, accompanied by hints of dark chocolate and sous-bois, as well as pomegranate and a stony minerality, all leading to an extraordinary finish.

Super Tuscan wines, like Sassicaia, are like Italy: They are sleek and seductive. They draw you in with a wink and a nod. The next morning you wake, not sure of where you are, what you did, or whom you were with. All you can do is smile, because you know the juice was worth the squeeze.

Cento anni così!