It began as a "vague experiment", it has become one of the best wines in the world. The history of Sassicaia is so incredible that the stage of the Teatro Regio in Parma was conquered on February 15th. "We broke the banks," said the director to welcome the 100 guests of an unprecedented and original tasting evening led by Daniele Cernilli following the 50 years of this label.
When a Sassicaia is born
Sassicaia was born in Bolgheri on the intuition of Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, an austere and kind Piedmontese who came to Tuscany more for horses than for wine. Its the legendary Ribot, a thoroughbred who won 16 prizes in a row. The marquis, to avoid salt, decided to plant a vineyard at 3-400 meters, to the south-east as he had seen in France, called Sassicaia because of the pebbles between the vines. In 1968 he went out on the market with his first "vague experiment" as he wrote to Gino Veronelli. In 2015 it was the best wine in the world for Wine Spectator.
The winery is located in San Guido where the avenue of the Carducci cypresses begins towards Bolgheri. A land blessed by the wind of the sea and the magona, the Mediterranean scrub as they call it here that keeps the summer night cool. Without forgetting the Bolgheri Oasis, a reserve where storks migrate, live 3 thousand wild geese and still find the golden plover.
The Sassicaia is vinified with a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (85%) and Cabernet Franc (15%), semi-aromatic grape varieties typical of Bordeaux, and refined in the small wood of the barrique preserved inclined "bonde à coté" to minimize the contact with the air.
When to drink a Sassicaia, pairings
Its characteristic is to hide a fresh scent of kiwi and eucalyptus among the classic ones of cassis and spices, and to be long-lasting over time without ever being aggressive on the palate.
It goes well with feather game or even Florentine for a moderate alcohol that does not go to clash with fresh pepper, but its elegant style makes it also suitable for fish dishes such as a sole or a mushroom umbrella, inspired by a winter sea idea.
Two vintages to taste
Sassicaia 2010 smells of walnut husk and helichrysum as a breath of Mediterranean scrub, more dancer than swimmer for the delicacy on the palate, with a fresh kiwi finish.
Sassicaia 2015 has a fresh hint of cassis on the nose, the sweetness of the clove and of the tobacco, the density of the great aging wines without any roughness already in their youth.
Text by Aldo Fiordelli