Tenuta San Guido Bolgheri "Sassicaia" DOC 2019
(Tuscany, Italy) - [DM 100] [WE 99, #2 Top 100 of '22] [JS 99, #42 Top 100 of '22] [WS 98] [JD 98] [WA 98]

About the Winery:
Sassicaia means "the place of many stones" and refers to the region's gravely soil. All the vineyards located in different altitudes and exposures benefit from extensive sun and maritime breezes. The soils are entirely located in the territorial delimitation of the D.O.C. Sassicaia. They havedifferent and composite morphological characteristics, characterized by a strong presence of calcareous areas rich in galestro, as well as pebbles and stones (“Sassicaia” in local dialect means soil with many stones) and also partially clay. The vineyards are located at an altitude between 328 and 1312 feet above sea level, facing West/South-West.

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

100 Points - Luca Gardini:
"Exceptional vintage for one of the icons of modern Italian enology. Brilliant ruby red, with great depth. Taut nose, with aromas of red currant, wild hints of geranium and laurel, with a citrus-iodine finish. The mouthfeel is vertical, very dense, with compact tannins and great elegance, backed by citrus notes. Deepness and drinkability at his best." (01/2022)

100 Points - International Wine Review:
"The 2019 Sassicaia is a thing of beauty. It showcases everything you would expect from this iconic wine, balance, precision and gorgeous fruit character are all on display. It begins with expressive aromatics of dark cherries and blackberries, which are laced with exotic spices, grilled herbs, florals, wet stones and underbrush nuances that all emerge gracefully from the glass. On the palate this is even more impressive, as it shows a remarkable combination of elegance and finesse, alongside a richly textured mouthfeel that is backed by beautiful ripe fruit. Pure and expressive, this goes on to show a wonderful sense of freshness that builds all the way through the long, persistent finish. This has it all and it is a simply thrilling release which offers plenty of upfront appeal, but will also thrive for decades in the cellar. I love what this vintage has to offer at this early stage and would expect the 2019 to ultimately be mentioned in conversation with some of the greatest vintages of Sassicaia ever." -J. D'Angelo (02/22)

100 Points - Decanter:
"Sassicaia 2019 spent 25 months in oak (one-third new). ‘We are going longer in oak in the past few years,’ said Carlo Paoli, managing director of Tenuta San Guido. Quite pale in the glass, the nose is extremely graceful and intense with a lavender note enhanced by restrained bramble fruits, fermented citrus peel, an intense violet aroma and graphite minerality in depth. The attack is soft and full, the flavor savoury and cedary through to the finish, with integrated velvety tannins and lifted acidity. A perfectly woven structure is bound with signature freshness and fruit vibrancy, making this one for the long haul." -AF (02/2022)

98 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
"The latest release from Tenuta San Guido is the 2019 Bolgheri Sassicaia. The bouquet is up front and very expressive from the get-go. It offers a generous display of crunchy, dark cherry that hints at the extra concentration and fruit weight obtained in the 2019 growing season. This vintage will be remembered for the crisp richness of the fruit and its important textural imprint. It also shows fine elegance, bordering on the ethereal, with berry aromas, tarry earth and brushes of balsam herb or grilled rosemary. Sassicaia always shows an almost-glossy finely knit quality to the polished mouthfeel, and I find it again here next to fresh acidity and firm tannins. Mouthfeel in 2019 is the wine's strongest suit. The 2019 is one of the prettiest and most balanced editions of Sassicaia we've seen this past decade, along with the back-to-back duo of 2016 and 2015. The 2019 marries the precision of the 2016 with the rich fruit weight of the 2015." - Monica Larner (1/2022)