DENOMINATION
Bolgheri DOC Sassicaia

FIRST VINTAGE ON THE MARKET
1968

GRAPE VARIETY
Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc

Bolgheri Sassicaia
SOIL TYPE
They show different and composite morphological characteristics, with the presence of calcareous areas rich in galestro, as well as stones and pebbles and partially clayey. The production plants are located at an average altitude between 100 and 300 meters above sea level, with exposure to the West / South-West.

CLIMATE TREND
A very positive seasonal trend for this 2021 vintage, with a rainy autumn and temperatures below seasonal averages, followed by a harsh winter, especially in mid-February when the polar cold of "Burian" brought freezing temperatures both at night, with peaks between -5 and -7 ° C, and during the day. April began with spring-like temperatures but, from mid-month, temperatures dropped again, approaching 0°C. A situation that caused bud thinning in early vines such as Merlot, but also Cabernet Franc. Throughout the spring we witnessed alternating sunshine and sporadic rain, cool air and temperatures below the seasonal norm. The vegetative stage of the plants was not affected, except for a vegetative slowdown. Summer temperatures began at the end of May and persisted, in the absence of rain, until the second half of July. From mid-August temperatures returned to normal and, especially at night, even slightly below the seasonal average. The plants were not affected by the heat of the summer months and the development of the vegetation was regular although with smaller bunches and grapes, which led to lower production.
The result of this climate is a perfect balance between technical maturity and phenolic maturity, with healthy grapes and excellent lignification of the grape seed and also of the stalk.

HARVEST
The harvest was done by hand, starting in the first days of September with the youngest and earliest vineyards and continuing with the Cabernet Sauvignon of the lower vineyards, to end in the first week of October, with those on the hills at about 400 meters above sea level (Vigna di Castiglioncello and Vigna del Quercione).

VINIFICATION
Selection of the grapes on a sorting table to eliminate impurities and imperfections. Very soft pressing to avoid breaking the grapes and delicate destemming to avoid the release of improper tannins. The alcoholic fermentations (with company yeasts and appropriately selected) ended in the first week of November and took place regularly with controlled temperatures not exceeding 28-29 °C. Delestages and pumping over operations outdoors facilitated excellent extraction in terms of polyphenols but also with a large aromatic component and good freshness of the musts. The malolactic fermentations (always spontaneous) took place in steel and concluded in the first days of December. Already from the first week of December 2021, after appropriate racking of the musts, the wine was placed in oak barriques.

REFINING
At the end of the malolactic fermentation, the wine was placed in barriques using approximately 40% new wood, a further 40% of first passage and 20% of second passage. As for woods, for the 2021 vintage, extra-fine grain French oak was used (Tronçais, Allier and Jupilles in particular), lightly toasted and aged for a long time
Sassicaia 2021, after 24 months of aging in wood, was racked into steel tanks before assembly. Subsequent aging in the bottle before being released for sale.