Bolgheri wine: the Tuscan coast and the home of the Super Tuscans
Bolgheri lies in the commune of Castagneto Carducci, in the province of Livorno, on the strip of land between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the wooded hills behind it. Most of Tuscany is built on Sangiovese, but here the Bordeaux grapes lead: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. This is where the Super Tuscan was born, and Bolgheri reds now rank among the most sought-after wines in Italy.
From Sassicaia to the Bolgheri DOC
The story starts with Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, who planted Cabernet at Tenuta San Guido in the 1940s for his family's own table. The 1968 vintage was the first Sassicaia released for sale, and because it fitted none of the rules of the day it went out as a humble table wine. In 1981 Lodovico Antinori founded Tenuta dell'Ornellaia a few kilometres away.
The appellation itself arrived in the early 1980s but covered only white and rosé. Red wines were added in 1994 with Bolgheri Rosso and Bolgheri Superiore, and Sassicaia became a subzone at the same time. Since 2013 Bolgheri Sassicaia has been a DOC of its own, reserved for a single estate.
Bolgheri Rosso, Superiore and Bolgheri white
The rules are unusually open. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc may each make up the whole blend, while Syrah and Sangiovese are capped at half. Bolgheri Rosso may be released from 1 September of the year after harvest; Bolgheri Superiore needs at least two years of ageing, one of them in wood. Bolgheri Sassicaia requires at least 80 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. The whites rest mainly on Vermentino, sometimes with Sauvignon Blanc or Viognier.
Terroir and style: Bordeaux grapes under a Mediterranean sun
The sea tempers the summer heat, and the coastal breeze keeps the grapes healthy and fresh. Soils shift from gravel and stone near the hills to clay and sand towards the coast. Cabernet Sauvignon from Bolgheri is ripe and full, with blackcurrant, cedar, Mediterranean herbs and a salty freshness that inland Tuscan reds rarely have. Merlot turns soft and deep, and Cabernet Franc brings perfume and tension.
Bolgheri producers in our range
Tenuta San Guido is here with Sassicaia, including magnums and older vintages, plus Guidalberto and Le Difese. From Tenuta dell'Ornellaia come Ornellaia, Le Serre Nuove, Le Volte and the white Poggio alle Gazze, and from Masseto both Masseto, a pure Merlot, and Massetino. Antinori's Tenuta Guado al Tasso offers Guado al Tasso, Matarocchio (Cabernet Franc), Il Bruciato, Cont'Ugo and the Scalabrone rosato, while Gaja's Bolgheri estate Ca' Marcanda adds Magari, Promis and the white Vistamare.
Le Macchiole shows its single varieties with Messorio (Merlot) and Scrio (Syrah) alongside its Bolgheri Rosso. The range also covers Grattamacco, Podere Sapaio, Argentiera, Poggio al Tesoro with Sondraia and Dedicato a Walter, Michele Satta, Campo alle Comete, Caccia al Piano, Fabio Motta, I Luoghi, Fattoria Casa di Terra, Orma, Chiappini and Bell'Aja.
Food pairing with Bolgheri reds and whites
The big Bolgheri reds belong with hearty food: grilled steak, leg of lamb with rosemary, game, duck breast and aged cheeses. A young Bolgheri Rosso suits pasta with ragù or grilled sausages, while coastal Vermentino is a natural partner for fish, shellfish and vegetable dishes. Serve the reds at 16 to 18 degrees and give a young Superiore an hour in a decanter.
Bolgheri wine FAQ
What is a Super Tuscan wine?
A Tuscan red that breaks with the traditional Sangiovese recipe, often by using Bordeaux grapes. Sassicaia was the first. Today many of them are classified as Bolgheri DOC or Toscana IGT.
What is the difference between Bolgheri Rosso and Bolgheri Superiore?
Superiore comes from lower yields and is aged longer, at least two years with one in wood. Bolgheri Rosso is fresher and ready to drink sooner.
How long can you cellar Sassicaia and Ornellaia?
Good vintages develop for 20 years or more and are often at their best between 10 and 20 years after harvest.
Which grapes are used in Bolgheri?
Mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, supported by Syrah, Sangiovese and Petit Verdot. For white wine, Vermentino leads.