T he Super-Tuscan. Sounds like a comic book hero. I imagine a stout and robust charac- ter, draped in robes and wearing leather sandals. Possessing superhuman like powers that enables the consumption of ungodly amounts of Sangiovese Blends and exquisite pork products. Not sure why this superhero exists but I’d sign up for that job any day of the week. The moniker ‘Super-Tuscan’ was derived from Italian winemakers out of frustration and hope. Prior to the 1990’s, Italian wine laws were consid- ered not only archaic but also exceedingly restric- tive. Tuscan Chianti producers were struggling in the 1960’s and 1970’s to produce any interest with sales and quality dipping to all-time lows. Due
to local laws, there wasn’t anything they could do in terms of using new varietals or technique to change the way the wines were being produced. To re-ignite themselves and as a form of protest, growers began planting non-native grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah and began blending them with the native Sangiovese. Touches of new oak were also introduced to produce wines that were completely new to what Italians had been previously producing. Due to the high acid content of Sangiovese and the power of Cabernet or Merlot, they also possess fantastic ability to be aged for decades. In my house, noth- ing else hits the dinner table during Thanksgiving and Christmas. TENUTA SAN GUIDO SASSICAIA Best Vintages – 1985, 1990, 1996, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2013. 2016 is rated 100pts however is far too young to enjoy yet. The OG. A brilliant wine. Sassicaia translates to stony field. It started as a home project wine that was made strictly for personal use. It wasn’t until 1968 that they began to offer it to the public and it took off. Like any wine some vintages are better than others and if you dare to pop one of these when it is too young you will have a face distorting experience. The Holy Grail is the 100pt. rated 1985 vintage. Wines from the early 2000’s are also considered as collectible vintages but honestly, I’ve never had a bad bottle regardless of what it was rated. Fantastic stuff! TENUTA ORNELLAIA Best Vintages – 1997, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2008 Located adjacent to Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia, Ornelliaia was established by Marchese Lodovico Antinori who happens to be the cousin of the founder of Sassicaia. Leave it to the Italians to have family members feud and try to ‘One-Up’ each other. Ornellaia uses a good amount of Merlot in their wines, and they also operate the Masseto winery which produces some of the most sought- after Merlot wines on the planet. The first vintage was released in 1987 and in 1991 a portion of the winery was purchased by none other than Robert Mondavi. A little more common than Sassicaia, these wines can also be found at a slightly lower price point.
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