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Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Vinous
2015 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy
Appelation: D.O.C. Bolgheri Sassicaia
Grape blend: 85 % Cabernet Sauvignon 15 % Cabernet Franc
Alcohol content: 14.00%
Soil composition: Soils have different morphological characteristics with a high incidence of limestone areas rich in clay and stones. They are situated between 100 and 400 meters above the sea level facing West / South-West.
Vine training: Cordon spur system
Planting density: Between 3,600 to 5,550 vine stocks/ha for older vineyards and 6.200 vine stocks/ha for the more recent ones.
Climate: A very good vintage that influenced in a very positive way the wines of 2015. After a rather mild winter with colder temperatures in January and February and heavy rains, during the second week of April the vines started vegetating thanks to mild temperatures and sunny days. The rains, very abundant in the early spring, brought to a quicker vegetation of the plants and at the same time helped the water reserve of the soils. The flowering was excellent, finished towards the end of May and was followed by a great budding, favored by good climate. June and the first half of July were characterized by temperatures above the seasonal average but from late July the they went back in their usual range. This climatic oscillation was mainly due to some rains that brought fresh air, very useful for the health of the vineyards and consequently for the excellent ripening of the grapes. Thermal excursion between day and night that lasted throughout August guaranteed the excellent phenolic ripeness of the grapes.
Harvest: The manual harvest started with the Cabernet Franc in mid-September followed by Cabernet Sauvignon. The grape picking ended at the end of September with the higher vines located on the hills. Excellent quality of the grapes: perfectly matured, crispy and very healthy.
Wine making: Selection of the grapes on the sorting table. Gentle crushing and destemming of the grapes was followed by fermentation in temperature controlled stainless vats (30 ° - 31° C only using natural yeasts). Maceration lasted about 12-15 days for Cabernet Franc and 10-13 days for Cabernet Sauvignon with frequent pump-overs of musts and délestages. The secondary fermentation (Malolactic fermentation) took also place in steel vats and finished towards the end of November.
Ageing: At the end of malolactic fermentation, the wine started its aging in French oak barrels (for a third new) for 24 months before the bottling phase and the following ageing time in bottle before its commerce release.