Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2019

Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2019 is a 750ml Bolgheri DOC red wine at 13.5% ABV, blending 85% Cabernet Sauvignon with 15% Cabernet Franc. This vintage received a perfect 100-point score from Decanter, alongside 99 points from both James Suckling and Wine Enthusiast (Cellar Selection), and 98 points from Parker's Wine Advocate — placing it among the most critically lauded Sassicaia releases in the estate's history.

Quick Facts: ABV: 13.5%  |  Origin: Bolgheri DOC, Toscana, Italy  |  Blend: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc  |  Producer: Tenuta San Guido

Production & Heritage

Tenuta San Guido, the estate that essentially created the Super Tuscan category, has produced Sassicaia since the 1960s on its Bolgheri coastal property in western Tuscany. The 2019 vintage underwent 18 to 20 days of maceration on the skins using natural ferments, followed by malolactic fermentation in tank. Aging lasted 25 months in French oak barrels, one-third of which were new — a slightly extended barrel program that managing director Carlo Paoli has noted reflects a deliberate shift toward longer oak maturation in recent vintages, adding structural depth without overwhelming the fruit.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with intense violet and lavender, layered over restrained bramble fruits and cassis. Deeper inhales reveal graphite minerality, dried herbs, sweet pipe tobacco, and a thread of camphor that lifts the aromatics.

Taste: The entry is lithe and graceful, immediately offering concentrated black currant and red plum before the mid-palate broadens with star anise, sage, and cedar. At its peak, the wine shows remarkable polish — full-bodied but impeccably balanced, with fine-grained tannins providing structure without austerity. Blood orange and cinnamon accents emerge as the wine opens in the glass.

Finish: Long and savory, with tobacco leaf, earthy minerality, and a minty freshness that lingers well past the final sip. The tannin resolution is silky, leaving a lasting impression of elegance and refinement rather than power.

How to Drink Sassicaia 2019

This wine deserves to be served neat in a large-bowled Bordeaux glass at cellar temperature (around 16–18°C), ideally with at least 30 to 60 minutes of decanting to allow its layered aromatics to fully develop. Given its pedigree and structure, Sassicaia 2019 is a wine for the table rather than the cocktail shaker — its complexity rewards patient, focused drinking alongside a meal.

Best For

• Gifting a serious wine collector or Italian wine enthusiast
• Anchoring a milestone dinner or anniversary celebration
• Cellaring for long-term aging — the structure and acidity suggest decades of potential
• Tasting alongside other iconic Bolgheri wines in a comparative vertical or horizontal flight

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Sassicaia 2019 taste like? Sassicaia 2019 delivers concentrated black currant and red plum framed by cedar, graphite, and dried herbs, with a full body tempered by refined tannins and a long, savory tobacco-laced finish.

How does Sassicaia 2019 compare to Ornellaia? Both are top-tier Bolgheri Cabernet-based wines, but Sassicaia 2019 leans toward a more austere, mineral-driven profile with its 85/15 Cabernet Sauvignon–Cabernet Franc blend, while Ornellaia typically incorporates Merlot and Petit Verdot for a rounder, more opulent texture.

Is Sassicaia 2019 good for cellaring? With its firm tannic structure, balanced acidity, and perfect scores from Decanter, this vintage is an exceptional candidate for cellaring; most critics suggest a drinking window extending through at least the late 2040s.

Where is Sassicaia 2019 made? Sassicaia is produced at Tenuta San Guido in the Bolgheri DOC on the Tuscan coast of western Italy, a maritime-influenced appellation where Cabernet Sauvignon thrives in gravelly, well-drained soils.

What foods pair well with Sassicaia 2019? Bistecca alla fiorentina highlights the wine's tannic grip and herbal character. Braised lamb shank with rosemary complements its savory depth. Aged Parmigiano-Reggiano echoes its earthy minerality. Wild boar ragù mirrors the wine's Tuscan heritage. Grilled portobello mushrooms with truffle oil bridges its cedar and graphite notes.

What sizes does Sassicaia 2019 come in? Sassicaia 2019 is available in standard 750ml bottles, with magnums (1.5L) and other large formats released in limited quantities depending on the vintage.

Is Sassicaia 2019 worth the price? Sassicaia 2019 positions firmly in the ultra-premium tier, and its perfect Decanter score alongside near-perfect marks from three other major publications provides strong critical justification for its standing among the most sought-after Italian reds on the market.

Why Sassicaia 2019?

A perfect 100-point score from Decanter is not something awarded casually, and the 2019 vintage earned it through a combination of exceptional growing conditions and an intentionally extended 25-month barrel aging program that added structural complexity. The result is a wine that balances Bolgheri's coastal warmth with a tension and minerality that few Super Tuscans achieve. Among the constellation of celebrated Sassicaia vintages — including 1985 and 2016 — the 2019 stands as one of the most universally acclaimed releases from Tenuta San Guido, a wine that justifies its iconic status with substance rather than reputation alone.