"History will undoubtedly rank this as one of the greatest wines of the century" ROBERT PARKER JR
The Wine
Tenuta San Guido, Sassicaia 1985
£19,000 per 6x75cl in OWC (under bond, excluding UK duty and VAT)
Please note this has now sold - contact us should you be interested in similar wines from Sassicaia or further afield
The Blend
Cabernet Sauvignon (85%), Cabernet Franc (15%)
The Producer
A trailblazing producer who changed the wine landscape.
Back in the 1940’s, the Marchese Incisa della Rochetta selected a stony hectare from the large San Guido estate to plant some Cabernet Sauvignon vines he had acquired from his favourite Bordeaux estate, Chateau Lafite. Little could he have known just how significant his decision would become. Until then, Bolgheri was primarily a region of neglected peach orchards and strawberry fields... not forever, it transpired, with Tenuta San Guido the driving force behind many future vine plantings and fine wine estates within the region.
The family continued to produce wines from the estate, very much for private family consumption, which continued until the late ‘60s. By then, the Marchese's nephews, Piero and Ludovico Antinori, were on hand to assist and in 1968 the first commercial vintage of Sassicaia was released. By the mid-late ‘70s, it had gained a global reputation for exceptional quality. The estate had forged its own direction, away from the wine laws governing which grapes could be permitted in a wine from the region, so the lowly Vino da Tavola moniker was applied. But the world’s connoisseurs grasped the wine’s significance and appreciated its fine qualities. Slowly, over time, the establishment ‘caught up’ and by the 1990’s Sassicaia had been awarded its very own DOC status. The story of Tenuta San Guido is an epic tale indeed.
Sassicaia REMAINS the only wine with its own DOC, throughout Italy
The Terroir
Nestled halfway between the sun loungers and sandy beaches of Livorno, and the tourists catching the ferry to Elba via Piombino, one finds the Bolgheri region of Tuscany. This patch of land has become one of the most important wine growing areas in Italy.
The estate lies approximately 10 kilometres from the sea, on the lower slopes of the Colline Metallifere, a hill range rich in minerals, that forms a shallow amphitheatre with a superb microclimate. The vines nestle-in, protected from the north-easterly winds by the wooded hills. Whilst, in the warmer months, the cooling sea breezes keep the summer heat in check.
The soils have a varied and complex makeup, including a significant amount of limestone, with areas rich in marl, pebbles and also a touch of clay. The vines have a west/south-west exposure and are at an altitude of between 60 and 400 metres above sea level.
The Vintage
1985 was the Tuscan vintage that changed the world wine map. The phrase ‘perfect vintage’ is often used, but is it actually accurate? Well, in this instance, it certainly was.
This was a historic year for wine in Tuscany. The weather was ideal in every month of the season. There was no excessive heat, and the rains came at the right time and in the correct quantity. The summer, like the rest of the year, was also hot (but not too hot) and sunny. There was one small challenge with a few frosts in early spring, but even this only benefitted the vines; hindering flowering and reducing resultant yields, it allowed for a better distribution of fruit on the vine, enabling phenolic and technical maturity to coincide perfectly. The speed of ripening was optimal, and harvesting was carried out in ideal conditions. The harvest began on the 10th of September and was concluded by the end of the month. The late, much-esteemed wine expert Michael Broadbent referred to 1985 as “unquestionably my favourite Italian vintage”.
The Provenance
Prior to Provinance's ownership, this case was stored under ideal conditions in Switzerland, under the long-term ownership of a private, Italian collector.
What The Critics Say
Monica Larner, 100/100 points (2017) "Oddly enough, the 1985 Sassicaia was the wine least commented during the conversations that followed this retrospective. Our panel consisted of some two dozen professional wine tasters from around the world, and virtually not a word was uttered with regards to this wine. That's how truly outstanding it is. The soaring beauty of this landmark Sassicaia literally transcends the rather mundane realm of wine critique with its string of adjectives and wearisome descriptors. It hardly deserves to be treated like any of the other gorgeous wines we tasted on this glorious day. In truth, the 1985 Sassicaia does reveal a new perspective onto its perfection each time you have the fortune to taste it. I noticed a layer of bright almond-like sweetness that I don't recall tasting before. The wine seems to be getting younger, not older. Even its appearance is remarkable. Of the various samples presented from the 1980s, this wine exhibited the brightest garnet color and the most youthful personality. It shows stunning volume. The integration is seamless and the wine's many complicated pieces fit together with utmost precision like a jigsaw puzzle that renders a most beautiful Italian masterpiece when admired at completion. Drink 2017-2035."
Jeff Leve, 100/100 points (2020) "Full-bodied, concentrated, rich and with incredible intensity, the fruit offered a beautiful purity, vibrancy, elegance and supple character that was equally youthful and luscious. The intensity was in the nose and palate. Just an incredible tasting experience."
Antonio Galloni, 100/100 points (2012)
Jancis Robinson, 20/20 points (2013)