Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2012
Not long ago I went to a tasting and tried the Tenuta San Guido wines. They offer three noteworthy reds, the famous Sassicaia and two additional labels; Guidalberto and LeDifese. LeDifese, their lower priced wine, is a Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese blend and has been produced by the winery since 2003 and is an excellent offering. Their second label to Sassicaia is Guidalberto. Mario Incisa, creator of Sassicaia, was inspired by his great-uncle Leopoldo Incisa della Rocchetta and motivated by his great great grandfather Guidalberto della Gherardesca, pioneer of modern agriculture, explains the choice of the name and creation of a new wine in 2000, Guidalberto. The new wine was created for two reasons: first of all, the desire to see what could accomplish with Merlot, a grape they never used before; and second, the desire to offer a wine which could be appreciated at a younger age compared to their veteran Sassicaia.
Since I commented on their other wines, today it’s Sassicaia. Although the 2012 is young, I was anxious to taste it and check back to see how the wine develops over the years. A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc, the color was a dense deep red with aromas of ripe dark fruits and gentle complementing spice. The flavors were very fresh and concentrated with blackberries, cherries and currants constantly changing on the palate, showing a great mouthfeel. The tannins were a bit tight as the bottle was not decanted and only opened for about 30 minutes. The ending had spice, cedar and touch of cacao on the lingering finish. An elegant wine that needs time to develop, try in another 3-5 years, although should last for a decade. Tasting Sample.
Cheers!