Sassicaia Bolgheri DOC 1997

The 1997 Sassicaia is produced by Tenuta San Guido in Bolgheri, on the Tuscan coast, from a blend of approximately 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc grown across estate-owned plots with calcareous, marl-rich soils and stony terrain. The 1997 growing season was warm and dry, with an early budbreak followed by a cooler period that slowed ripening before warm conditions returned through harvest, yielding grapes with notable concentration and healthy skins. The wine was made under winemaker Giacomo Tachis and matured in French oak barrels, consistent with the long-standing approach at the estate. At maturity the wine shows considerable depth, soft curves, and layered complexity that distinguishes warm-vintage Sassicaia from cooler years. The 1997 vintage was rated five stars by Italian critics and is considered one of the stronger releases of that decade. Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC, established as a single-estate appellation in 2013, is the only such denomination in Italy exclusively reserved for one producer.