Only wine from a single wine estate in Italy to have its own DOC.
Critic tasting note: "A magnificent vintage, the product of a very Mediterranean yet regular season that was decidedly ‘Bolgheri-esque’. The color is an intense ruby-garnet and the bouquet elegant and clean with notes of wild berries that are full and elegant with balsamic hints in the background. The mouthfeel is velvety, almost silky, without any tartness, composed, fine and with a nice agile body and a surprising persistence. A virtuous mix of elegance and drinkability." - 98/100, Doctorwine
- Drinking Window: 2017-2040
- Alcohol ABV: 13.5%
- Blend: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon & 15% Cabernet Franc
Vintage Notes
Although not as rich in snow as the previous year, the climate in 2010 took us back in time: a long and cold winter, and a wet and cool spring. The bud burst was therefore regular, but certainly not precocious. During the winter we had temperatures below the seasonal average until the end of March and this allowed for the blocking of the vegetative phases of the vines. In mid-March we had significant snowfall and also the Spring was colder than usual, with temperatures below the seasonal average and heavy rains until May. This trend led to a delay in flowering and veraison and consequently, to a slower vegetative growth. Subsequently the temperatures aligned themselves to the seasonal average. This coupled with large temperature excursions between night and day, encouraged the development of perfumes.
Harvest Date Notes: Early September - first days of October
Winemaking
The primary fermentation took place in temperature controlled stainless steel vats at a temperature of 30° - 31° C. The maceration of the skins lasted 15 days for both the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Cabernet Franc, with a combination of pumping over and délestage. The malolactic or secondary fermentation also took place in the steel vats.
Ageing
Following the malolactic fermentation, the wine was aged in French oak barriques for 24 months and a few more months in the bottle before being released on the market.
Established in 1948 by Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, Tenuta San Guido is a super-premium Italian wine producer with 75 hectares of vineyards in the Bolgheri DOC in Tuscany. Best known for producing "Super Tuscan" wines, its flagship wine Sassicaia is considered one of Italy's leading Bordeaux-style reds. Prior to 1994, Sassicaia was classified as a simple Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) as it was made from non-traditional varieties for the region and thus was excluded from DOC status. To rectify the situation, Sassicaia was granted its own DOC (Sassicaia DOC) in 1994, the only wine from a single estate in Italy to enjoy this privilege. Alongside Sassicaia, Tenuta San Guido also produces a second wine; a Cabernet Merlot Sangiovese blend called Guidalberto.
