- CRITICAL REVIEWS
- WINEMAKER NOTES
Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Vinous
2018 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy
HARVEST NOTE
The 2018 vintage was a classic year for Sassicaia. Autumn and early winter were characterized by temperatures above seasonal norm with sporadic rains, sometimes alluvial. This situation that lasted until February, with greater intensity of rain and some snow at the highest altitudes. The situation was radically changed by "Burian", a wind from Siberia that in the last week of February, caused temperatures to drop well below zero, accompanied by snowfalls, even in Bolgheri. A situation that had not occurred for years, with day and night temperatures that for over a week have always remained between 28 and 41 °F. From an agronomic point of view, this was positive in causing the vegetative stop and eliminating the parasites of the vine. It also helped feeding the water reserves.
TASTING NOTE
The wine's careful balance is achieved thanks to the nuanced character of the fruit, the present acidity, the well-managed structure and the contained alcohol. The palate is lifted and bright, the finish is polished and long, and the wine skips over any heaviness on the mid-palate. The bouquet is especially intriguing with a very lively plummy fruit element that is enhanced by baker's chocolate, pepper spice, iron ore, caramel and pie crust. There is also a green character that adds positively to the bouquet with aniseed, tea leaf, soya, menthol rub and black olive. The fruit maturity is spot-on with no elements that feel over or underripe. Overall, the 2018 Sassicaia weighs in with a svelte frame and long persistence. Moreover, it is distinguished by the archetypal elegance and pedigree of the classic vintages of the past. This new release gives you much pleasure to await.
FOOD PAIRING
Pair with rich flavors like braised meats, osso bucco and aged, hard cheeses.
TECHNICAL DATA
GRAPES: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc
APPELLATION: Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC
PH: 3.46
ACIDITY: 5.85 g/l
ABV: 14%
AGING: At the end of the malolactic fermentation, the wine was placed in French oak barrels, (for almost two third new wood and the rest, first and second passage) where it spent a period of aging of 24 months.
RESIDUAL SUGAR: 0.20 g/l
POINTS OF DISTINCTION
- So successful it was granted its own appellation Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC in 1994
- A dense, complex wine of legendary longevity
- The first Super Tuscan, debuted in 1968