Tenuta San Guido

Tenuta San Guido is an Italian wine producer in the DOC Bolgheri in Toscana, known as a producer of "Super Tuscan" wine. Its wine Sassicaia is considered one of Italy's leading Bordeaux-style red wines. The estate also produces a second wine, Guidalberto, and the third wine Le Difese. Tenuta San Guido is member of the Primum Familiae Vini.

History

Tenuta San Guido was established by marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, who was also co-owner of Ribot, possibly the best horse of all time. Considered the seminal "Super Tuscan", the name Sassicaia (Italian sasso meaning "stone" indicating a stony field) originated in 1948 when first produced by Incisa della Rocchetta using Cabernet Sauvignon vines and for years only used for family consumption. A legend about these vines being sourced from Château Lafite-Rothschild, was dismissed by Mario's son, Nicolò Incisa della Rocchetta, as the vineyard was planted from "cuttings from 50-year-old vines from a friend’s estate near Pisa". Though for years Sassicaia remained the marchese’s personal wine, his son Nicolò and nephew Piero Antinori convinced him to release it commercially, starting with the 1968 vintage, which was unveiled in 1971. Though initially there were only a few thousand bottles available, Sassicaia was an immediate hit with famed Italian critic Luigi Veronelli, who dubbed it “fairy-tale wine” (vino da favola), thanks to the wine’s complex bouquet and finesse. To keep up with the sudden demand, Mario Incisa della Rocchetta hired consulting enologist Giacomo Tachis to further refine the wine while increasing production.

Wine tasting

Wine tasting (often, in wine circles, simply tasting) is the sensory examination and evaluation of wine. While the practice of wine tasting is as ancient as its production, a more formalized methodology has slowly become established from the 14th century onwards. Modern, professional wine tasters (such as sommeliers or buyers for retailers) use a constantly evolving specialized terminology which is used to describe the range of perceived flavors, aromas and general characteristics of a wine. More informal, recreational tasting may use similar terminology, usually involving a much less analytical process for a more general, personal appreciation.

Tasting stages

The results of the four recognized stages to wine tasting:

– are combined in order to establish the following properties of a wine:

A wine's overall quality assessment, based on this examination, follows further careful description and comparison with recognized standards, both with respect to other wines in its price range and according to known factors pertaining to the region or vintage; if it is typical of the region or diverges in style; if it uses certain wine-making techniques, such as barrel fermentation or malolactic fermentation, or any other remarkable or unusual characteristics.