Sassicaia: a complete vertical tasting

by Daniele Cernilli 05/15/18 |

From the first 1968 vintage to the latest, outstanding 2015: here are all the vintages ever produced of Sassicaia Tenuta San Guido.

I drew up these organoleptic reviews over a period of around 3 years. They are the result of notes I took each time I tasted the various vintages I had in my personal cellar. Some of them I bought while others were sent to me by Niccolò Incisa who over the past 20 years has kindly sent me at least to bottles of each vintage after it came out on the market. This is a privilege that I thank him for and will share with you readers, at least in print.

The observations and ratings obviously refer to the wines I had and tasted. This is a complete tasting of Tenuta di San Guido Sassicaia and the only years missing are 1969 and 1973, when the wine was not made.

The idea of compiling a complete vertical tasting of Sassicaia had been on my mind for some time and for this reason I took notes each time I tasted a vintage. With the recent passing of Giacomo Tachis this has taken on another meaning because it reflects his whole professional life. Since 2011 the wine has been made under the supervision of Graziana Grassini, who Tachis mentored and indicated as his heir. For sure, when it comes to Sassicaia, aside from Incisa, the wine is identified with the name Tachis and for this reason I dedicate this effort to his memory.

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Product	Producer	Date of publication	Author	Read
Sassicaia 2015 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/15/18	Daniele Cernilli	A perfect harvest, hot but not torrid, without any drought problems and grapes ripening to perfection. The result is an immense Sassicaia, one of the best of all time. The color is an intense, lively... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 2014 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/15/18	Daniele Cernilli	The cold and rain made this a difficult year, one of the worst in years. However, the “star” of Sassicaia, as in other difficult years – 2002, 1992, 1984 and 1972 – still... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 2013 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/25/16	Daniele Cernilli	The past three vintages are often referred to as the magic trio for Sassicaia. This 2013 almost mirrors, although with totally different characteristics, the class of the previous two vintages. The... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 2012 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/25/16	Daniele Cernilli	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... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 2011 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/25/16	Daniele Cernilli	Another surprise, especially for those who do not know the Bolgheri wine well. This because 2011 was a majestic Sassicaia vintage, truly comparable with 1988. It has all the best this wine can... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 2010 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/25/16	Daniele Cernilli	Bolgheri is not Montalcino and here the 2009 and 2010 vintages were inverted in regard to value compared to central Tuscany. Thus while this is a good Sassicaia it is not the outstanding one you... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 2009 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/25/16	Daniele Cernilli	A surprising wine considering how the vintage was initially so undervalued. And yet this is one of the greatest Sassicaia vintages, a classic like the ‘88, complex as a Pauillac Premier Cru.... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 2008 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/25/16	Daniele Cernilli	An excellent vintage, the result of a decidedly good harvest from a season that saw some rain but also a lot of sunshine. The color is an intense garnet and the aroma is youthful with fine spicy and... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 2007 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/25/16	Daniele Cernilli	A hot but not torrid growing season with fewer heat waves. This has a lively, garnet color and very Mediterranean aromas that are fragrant and intensely fruity with notes of black cherry, prune and... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 2006 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/25/16	Daniele Cernilli	Another hot year similar to 2003. An alcoholic and bold Sassicaia that has a very intense, ruby-garnet color and ethereal aromas of red fruits preserved in spirits and sweet spices. The mouthfeel is... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 2005 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/25/16	Daniele Cernilli	A cool year, although not as much as 2002, which produced an elegant and taut Sassicaia. The color is a bright garnet and the aromas balsamic, ‘Bordeaux-esque’, with notes of eucalyptus,... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 2004 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/25/16	Daniele Cernilli	A good vintage, the product of a regular growing season. It has a nicely intense ruby color and classic, slightly balsamic aromas along with notes of blackcurrant, blueberry and violet along and... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 2003 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/25/16	Daniele Cernilli	A very hot and dry growing season that produced a divisive wine: there are those who love how immediate it is while others consider it an uncharacteristic Sassicaia. After more than a decade what can... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 2002 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/25/16	Daniele Cernilli	A very difficult, rainy and cold growing season. This Sassicaia is as tenuous as a Pinot Noir and has a garnet color that is more transparent than usual. There are aromas of wild strawberry and... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 2001 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/25/16	Daniele Cernilli	An excellent vintage, the product of a good growing season and harvest. It has a lively, garnet color and austere aromas with notes or rhubarb and cinchona followed by balsamic scents and those of... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 2000 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/25/16	Daniele Cernilli	A particularly hot and early harvest produced a bold but not very elegant Sassicaia. The color is an intense, ruby-garnet and the bouquet is ethereal and a bit alcoholic with aromas of black cherry... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1999 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/26/16	Daniele Cernilli	Another excellent year, perhaps a bit warmer than the 2000. The ruby-garnet color has a good intensity and the aromas are ethereal and wrapping with notes of red fruit preserved in spirits, tamarind... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1998 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/26/16	Daniele Cernilli	A great year for Sassicaia and Bolgheri in general. This was one of the best vintages of the ‘90s. The color is an intense ruby-garnet and the aromas have incredible integrity and are unusually... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1997 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/26/16	Daniele Cernilli	A hot and somewhat dry growing season produced a bold, rich Sassicaia that seemed like a lesser 1988. It has an intense, ruby-garnet color and ethereal, wrapping and slightly evolved aromas with... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1996 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/26/16	Daniele Cernilli	A ‘small’ vintage due to rain during harvest. This Sassicaia is lithe but has an excellent elegance, similar in a way to a Burgundy, mutatis mutandis. The ruby-garnet color is bright but... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1995 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/26/16	Daniele Cernilli	A late year with grapes ripening after August 15 and harvest postponed to early October. The wine has a bright and intense ruby color and incredibly lively aromas that are balsamic and full with... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1994 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/26/16	Daniele Cernilli	This was the first vintage to have the DOC classification and was the product of an average growing season with rain at the end of harvest. It is a good version but not an outstanding one. The color... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1993 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/26/16	Daniele Cernilli	A difficult, rainy growing season did not allow the polyphenols to fully develop. The ruby-garnet color here has an average intensity but is bright, while the aromas lean towards slightly vegetal,... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1992 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/26/16	Daniele Cernilli	A surprising vintage considering this was not an exceptional year for Tuscan reds. But Sassicaia has accustomed us to such performances. The intense ruby-garnet color has a nice concentration and is... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1991 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/26/16	Daniele Cernilli	This was not an exceptional year but the incredible combination of environmental and climatic factors in Bolgheri’s terroir once again allowed for the creation of a wine far above the norm. The... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1990 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/26/16	Daniele Cernilli	This was a valid year but not a ‘happy’ one considering expectations. The wine has an intense and concentrated ruby color but it is less bright than the ’92. The aromas are intense... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1989 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/26/16	Daniele Cernilli	Another average year with a difficult harvest but Sassicaia overcame these obstacles with the class of a great racehorse. This is certainly lesser wine than the 1988 and ’90 but this does not... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1988 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/26/16	Daniele Cernilli	This was Giacomo Tachis’ favorite vintage and he considered it to be even better than the ’85. The ruby color is intensely concentrated, profound and certainly now what one would expected... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1987 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/26/16	Daniele Cernilli	A minor vintage. The ruby color has an average intensity and the bouquet has scents of spicy wood and red fruit (black cherry) and, although somewhat intense, the profile of the aroma is more... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1986 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/26/16	Daniele Cernilli	This was the least convincing vintage of the 1980s and while it is an excellent wine, it came as a disappointment after the exceptional ’85. The ruby color has some garnet reflections and is of... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1985 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/27/16	Daniele Cernilli	International critics consider this to be the greatest Sassicaia of all time. The wine has an intensely dark and concentrated ruby color with garnet reflections. The bouquet is complex and... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1984 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/27/16	Daniele Cernilli	This year was a disaster in the rest of Tuscany but here it produced a wine of rare nobility. Its ruby color is of medium intensity and there are ample, intense and persistent fruit aromas of ripe... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1983 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/27/16	Daniele Cernilli	A valid version but less so than one would have expected considering the favorable growing season. The color is an intense ruby with reflections that lean towards garnet and has an average... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1982 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/27/16	Daniele Cernilli	A certainly interesting wine but with characteristics that are showing their age a little too prematurely. The garnet color has red-brick tones and the aroma is intense, wrapping, and evolved with... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1981 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/27/16	Daniele Cernilli	An interesting vintage, the product of a cool and rainy growing season. The garnet/amaranth color has a distinct red-brick edge and the complex bouquet has very particular and quite pleasing vegetal... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1980 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/27/16	Daniele Cernilli	This is similar to the 1979 but with the structure of the 1974. It has a garnet color with orange reflections and the evolved aromas are have a medium complexity. The flavor is not perfectly... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1979 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/27/16	Daniele Cernilli	This is one of the less convincing vintages. The wine has a garnet color with orange reflections and bottle-aged, evolved aromas of jam and fruit preserved in spirits that have a nice concentration... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1978 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/27/16	Daniele Cernilli	A very great wine with an intense ruby color and brick-red edge that is amazingly concentrated and quite bright. The aromas are complex and there is a sensation of resin alongside barnyard and... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1977 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/27/16	Daniele Cernilli	Another surprise, the product of a year that elsewhere in Tuscany was truly disappointing. This Sassicaia has a concentrated, ruby-garnet color with a brick-red edge and is still bright. The aromas... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1976 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/27/16	Daniele Cernilli	The weather this year, if possible, was even worse than the ’72 due to a very wet summer that compromised the grapes even if they did ripen sufficiently. Maceration was brief because the... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1975 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/27/16	Daniele Cernilli	An excellent vintage for Sassicaia that recalls the ‘82 but is better. The color by now is distinctly garnet with brick-red reflections and the concentration is good. The bouquet is evolved... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1974 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/27/16	Daniele Cernilli	The growing season was unfavorable due to excessive rain and inconsistent temperatures. Nevertheless, once again Sassicaia defended itself in a dignified way and today the aromas are still broad,... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1972 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/27/16	Daniele Cernilli	This was one of the worst years for wine in the past 50 years and yet it miraculously produced an excellent Sassicaia. The wine has a garnet color with brick-red reflections and good concentration.... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1971 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/27/16	Daniele Cernilli	A favorable summer for Cabernet Sauvignon with little rain and balanced and average temperatures. The wine was made in open, 20hl Slavonian vats and maceration lasted seven days with frequent... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1970 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/27/16	Daniele Cernilli	This was the first Sassicaia to be produced on a large scale (69,000 bottles) and due to problems in the winery it would be another ten years before such quality was achieved. The growing season was... Leggi tutto
Sassicaia 1968 Bolgheri Sassicaia	Tenuta San Guido	05/27/16	Daniele Cernilli	The year is only indicative given that this was a blend of wines from 1967, ’68 – which represented the lion’s share – and ’69 with a small addition from ’65.... Leggi tutto
Tenuta San Guido		05/02/11	Redazione	This estate is right next to the Cyprus tress that Carducci said “run in rows to San Guido”. Everyone identifies this estate with Sassicaia, an icon of Italian winemaking. It is owned by... Leggi tutto

Product	Date of publication	Author	Category
Sassicaia (1), la stella del vino Italiano	24/05/2016	Daniele Cernilli	Vertical tastings
Sassicaia (2), il nuovo millennio	25/05/2016	Daniele Cernilli	Vertical tastings
Sassicaia (3), lo spartiacque	26/05/2016	Daniele Cernilli	Vertical tastings
Sassicaia (4), le annate pioneristiche	27/05/2016	Daniele Cernilli	Vertical tastings