Tenuta San Guido - Sassicaia 2023

Druvor

Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc

Tasting note

Very few vintages of this legendary Tuscan wine deliver the immediate joy, richness and complexity found in the Tenuta San Guido 2023 Bolgheri Sassicaia. Tasted both before and after its January 2026 bottling, this is a wine that feels uncannily open and generous in its youth, a rare trait for Sassicaia, which is famously inscrutable at this stage. The 2023 vintage was marked by a cold winter and above-average rainfall followed by a severe outbreak of downy mildew that damaged leaves, forcing brutal fruit selection and resulting in a 20% reduction in yields. Only the estates willing to make these sacrifices succeeded, and the best wines rank among the most compelling and elusive of recent years. The blend includes 13% to 14% Cabernet Franc alongside Cabernet Sauvignon, with the Franc playing a decisive phenolic role that reinforces elegance, linearity and brightness. Aromas unfold with wild sage, rosemary and dark fruit before moving into crushed stone minerality, rose petal and a finely spiced spectrum of pink peppercorn, nutmeg, anise, cardamom, bergamot and blood orange, joined by a delicate note of mentuccia romana, sweeter and gentler than classic mint. The palate shows beautiful softness framed by chalky tannins and mineral tension. Its acidity shines bright and guarantees long cellar aging potential. The wine remains fluid and flexible in the glass as different facets of the bouquet emerge. Like the legendary 1985, 2023 was a difficult and stressful vintage shaped by a cold winter, yet it stands as proof that great pressure can indeed give birth to diamonds.

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Robert Parker Wine Advocate

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Technical sheet

Home of the historic first vines planted to Cabernet Sauvignon in 1944, the first commercial release for Sassicaia was produced in 1968. The only monopole DOC, Bolgheri Sassicaia was established in 1994 and spans the 67 plots identified by Mario Incisa della Roccheta. In addition to vines, there is an emphasis on biodiversity and a dedication to preserving the land and habitat of the region. For example, they have 650 hectares devoted to a bird sanctuary established in 1959, which is the first World Wildlife Fund natural reserve in Italy. They also cultivate cereal grains, legumes, and flowers. With their property spanning from sea level to the now second highest vineyards of the region (exceeded only by a vineyard owned by Giorgio Melletti Cavallari), they have the full spectrum of soils and elevations the region has to offer. I tasted the wines for this report at the estate with Carlo Paoli, the estate’s General Manager and Production Manager.

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Jeb Dunnuck