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Wine Description
The Story
After almost 30 years of experimentation and solid work the Marquis decided to release Sassicaia´s 1968 vintage to the open market using his cousin´s, Antinori´s distribution network in the early 1970s, with instant sensation. At a Decanter tasting of Cabernet wines in London, 1978, Sassicaia from vintage 1972 beat all the other 33 wines of France and California, and since then Sassicaia has been one of the leading wines in the world and in great demand among wine collectors and investors. The marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta passed away in 1983. His son, Marquis Nicolò Incisa della Rocchetta, now oversees all estate operations.
Sassicaia means “the place of many stones,” and refers to the region’s gravel soil. The original vineyards have a southwest exposure with extensive sun and maritime breezes that create robust vegetation. The grapes were handpicked, destemmed and crushed before fermenting with natural yeasts for 15 days in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. The wine was aged in French oak barriques (40% new) for 24 months, then refined for 6 months in bottle before release.
Wine Information
In 1986 the yield was fairly normal, therefore more abundant than 1985 regarding the fruit per plant ratio. Very balanced and qualitative fruit in the relations sugar-acid and organic-polymerisation. The ripening was excellent with sunny weather without excessive warm peaks. The harvest lasted approximately 18 days
Wine making: Wine-making was smooth, and the maceration took approximately 12 days. The malolactic fermentation was over by december 10th . We left the wine inside the vats for one more month, to end successfully the secondary microbiologic process and the transition in barriques happened at the end of december.
Ageing: Slavonian oak and French oak barriques were used for the ageing. The ratio being
20% of the former, and 80% of the latter. 40% of the wood was new while the remaining 60% had been used once or twice before. The wine remained in casks for 22 months.
Alcoholic grade: 12,90%; Total acidity of the grapes at vinification: 6,60%;
Vinification temperature 26° - 28° C; Wine acidity during ageing: 5,60%; pH after ageing: 3,60
Tasting notes: The wine has a good structure as other Sassicaias of good vintages. The tannins are well proportioned to the other chemical and organoleptic components, so much so that the wine is perfectly harmonious and balanced. Its life in the bottle can stretch if
not so very long as it does not have the necessary organoleptic disposition.
(Tasting notes from 1990)
