Incisa della Rocchetta is keen to promote the winery her grandfather founded in the 1940s.Supplied
A release of the highly acclaimed 2021 vintage of Sassicaia would have sold out in minutes last week even without Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta’s presence at tastings and events in Toronto. But the third-generation representative from Tenuta San Guido takes a keen interest in promoting her family’s wines, making sure their story and commitment to quality are communicated along the way.
Incisa della Rocchetta’s grandfather planted a vineyard in Maremma, part of Tuscany’s Bolgheri region, with cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot in the 1940s. He used the grapes to make wine to enjoy with friends and family, until he was convinced to release Sassicaia to the public in 1971. Launched with the 1968 vintage, the structured and elegant cabernet sauvignon-dominant blend revolutionized Bolgheri, quickly becoming one of Italy most famous exports.
First labelled as “table wine” because it didn’t fall within the winemaking conventions of the region, Tenuta San Guido would be granted its own appellation (Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC). The family would add the cabernet-merlot Guidalberto in 2000, and a cabernet and sangiovese blend, Le Difese in 2002, to the range, but has never looked to expand production of Sassicaia to meet rising commercial demand.
Workers tend the grape vines at Tenuta San Guidorange vineyard. della Rocchetta’s grandfather planted first the vineyard in Maremma in Tuscany’s Bolgheri region, with cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot.Supplied
During her Toronto visit, Incisa della Rocchetta reflected on the challenges of producing wine in Bolgheri, the importance of international grape varieties to the estate and how to successfully pass on the shared values of the business to the next generation.
What makes the Bolgheri region, which extends from the Maremma hills to the Tyrrhenian Sea, different from the rest of Tuscany?
It’s a special part of the world. Compared to other regions of Tuscany, it’s a bit hidden away because there isn’t a good train connection, or a motorway [highway] to there, so you really must want to go to Bolgheri. We are close to the seaside, so it’s quite a mitigated climate without temperature extremes in winter or in summer. The climate is completely different than farther inland in Montalcino or Chianti Classico.
Sangiovese is the most widely planted grape variety in Tuscany. Why has your family (and other producers in Bolgheri) embraced different varieties in your vineyards?
Cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot have become the main grapes cultivated in the region. These international grape varieties are thriving in Bolgheri more than sangiovese, which has a thinner skin and doesn’t like to be exposed to the salty sea breezes.
Tenuta San Guidorange 2021 vintage of Sassicaia has received top scores from international critics, including a 100-point rating from The Wine Advocate.Supplied
Tenuta San Guido isn’t open to tourists, welcoming only members of the wine trade, press and invited guests. How do you describe the estate to those that have never been?
It’s very beautiful. The estate is almost 3,000 hectares, which is quite large by Italian standards. Wine was the latest addition to our family’s activities, started in the 1940s by our grandfather. The vineyard represents about 5 per cent of the total surface area. There are other crops and horses on the property as well as a nature reserve, which isn’t to make a profit. It helps to preserve this special ecosystem, which aids in the production of good wine. If the environment is pristine and healthy, the vineyards are going to be happier and thrive. It’s all interconnected.
The Italian government is equally impressed by the quality of Tenuta San Guido’s estate, creating a rare family-only denomination zone that’s separate from the rest of Bolgheri.
It’s like a little monopole. Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC [controlled denomination of origin] is entirely within the boundaries of Tenuta San Guido. We are the only producers able to plant vineyards and produce Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC. Others would be classified as Bolgheri DOC.
The 2021 vintage of Sassicaia has received top scores from international critics, including a 100-point rating from The Wine Advocate. Do third-party endorsements influence your winemaking style?
Of course, if you get nice scores, it’s reassuring that you’re going the right direction. But there was a moment in the 1990s where people were more attracted by more powerful and structured wines. The scores of Sassicaia weren’t the highest, but that didn’t mean that we changed our style. We kept to our style of freshness and elegance, and it’s now coming back in fashion.
Only five-per cent of the nearly 3,000 hectare estate is covered by the vineyard, and other sites on the land are used to grow other crops, raise horses.Supplied
It’s also notable that the winemaking team embraces the character of each vintage. The flavour and personality of Sassicaia changes from year to year.
It’s important that each vintage reflects the growing conditions and doesn’t always taste like the same wine. We want them to be nice examples of what was going on in Bolgheri that year.
Sassicaia attracts the most attention around the world, but most consumers are more likely to enjoy the more affordable and accessible wines from the estate. How do they compare?
Our two other wines are Guidalberto and Le Difese; we don’t call them our second or third wine. They are other wines with their own individual personalities. Le Difese [45-per-cent cabernet sauvignon and 55-per-cent sangiovese] is really the first step into the Tenuta San Guido family. Then you land on Guidalberto [a blend of 60-per-cent cabernet sauvignon and 40-per-cent merlot], which is a different expression from Le Difese and Sassicaia. After 20 years of producing Guidalberto, we are happy with its ability to stand on its own feet. We know that it has very good aging potential and can be collected.
What are the plans for the future of Tenuta San Guido?
Tenuta San Guido is a complex company. In a family business like this, you must be looking a generation ahead. I am one of five cousins and there are six in the next generation, ranging from my niece who is 20 years old down to one that is less than one year. It’s a lot of work to bring these kids together to understand the legacy of the family business. It must continue for generations; we have to preserve it to the best of our capacities and pass it along in a better state than we received it.
This interview has been edited and condensed.