The Brilliance Of Bolgheri – Stunning Wines From Coastal Tuscany

Tuscany may or may not be the finest wine region in Italy regarding quality, but it is certainly the best-known. Famous red wines such as Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano are consumed and revered the world over, while Vernaccia di San Gimignano is the region’s most loved white wine.

While each of these wine producing areas has a lengthy history of more than a century (over three hundred years for Chianti Classico), the district of Bolgheri along the coast of Tuscany in the northwest province of Livorno has only become recognized as a wine territory in recent years, with the first red wine being produced in the 1940s. Yet it wasn’t until 1968 when the first vintage of Sassicaia, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc made by Tenuta San Guido in this area, that Bolgheri was noticed on the world stage.

In the five decades since, there has been an almost unparalleled rate of excellence as well as recognition for Bolgheri as a premier wine area. Estates such as Tenuta San Guido, Ornellaia, Le Macchiole and Grattamacco have become world-famous, and today there are more than five dozen wine estates in the area. Perhaps what is most remarkable about the success of Bolgheri is that the principal varietal planted here is not Sangiovese, as is typical for the rest of Tuscany, but rather Cabernet Sauvignon, a grape better known in Bordeaux and Napa Valley.

What makes Bolgheri such a special place to produce wine, and why has Cabernet Sauvignon become the principal variety planted in its vineyards? Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta, brand ambassador and a member of the family that owns Tenuta San Guido, shares her thoughts. “Bolgheri has a specific microclimate, due to the vicinity of the sea, which is particularly suitable for growing international grapes varieties, especially Cabernet Sauvignon. First of all, the water surface of the sea serves as a mirror for the sunlight, which is projected on the land. This incredible luminosity helps the correct and complete ripening of the grapes. Furthermore, the sea influence, with its breezes, mitigates the climate. This brings refreshment in the summer and warmth in the winter. This means that in Bolgheri, the climate is never extreme.”

At Guado al Tasso, one of the leading estates of Bolgheri, owner Albiera Antinori also notes the specific characteristics of this area. “Bolgheri’s character is a unique combination of its terroir key features: the theater-shaped location between coast and hills that influences its microclimate, the huge variability in soils in such a small area, the incredible brightness of the sunlight here and last but not least the ability of the producers to read and express the singularity of this land through wine.

“Our main grapes, such as Cabernet and Merlot, are grown in many places around the world but here they undoubtedly find a one of a kind identity that clearly marks our wines. Among the main characteristics of Bolgheri wines we surely find the typical hints of Mediterranean bushes and trees, the marine sapidity, the silkiness and elegance of the tannins.”

For years, the question has arisen – as Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varietals the most widely planted here, are these wines truly Italian? Or are they more Bordeaux-like or even international in style? Incisa della Rocchetta replies; “In the case of Bolgheri wines in general, and Sassicaia in particular, one could say that these wines are a different expression of grape varietals used in other parts of the world, notable in the Bordeaux area. In fact, the wines produced here – and Sassicaia is an emblematic example of this – have a distinctive style and expression that makes them ‘Bolgheri wines’, rather than Bordeaux wines. A sort of ‘Mediterranean’ version, of the same grapes.”

While Cabernet Sauvignon is the most famous grape planted here, several producers have produced excellent to outstanding examples of Cabernet Franc as a monovarietal wine. One of these vintners is Cinzia Merli at Le Macchiole, who points out “the great combination between soil composition and climate. The result is complexity and elegance. In fact, Cabernet Franc prefers well-structured soils with the presence of skeleton and clay, a fairly common situation in Bolgheri.”

While Bolgheri’s red wines are world-famous, the white wines from here are also notable, especially those made from Vermentino, a grape that performs brilliantly near the sea. One of the most essential examples is crafted at Grattamacco, where Luca Marrone is the winemaker. “Vermentino is firmly a Mediterranean variety,” he comments. “It loves the proximity of the sea because it needs daily light and wind to reveal ripeness and concentration better. The terroir is what makes the difference between the various areas of origin and within them. For instance, our Vermentino is very distinctive among the Bolgheri ones for the unique terroir in Grattamacco. Its style is rich and generous; it’s a Vermentino for the long run, as its vineyards are the oldest Vermentino ones in Bolgheri since 1986.”

Recent vintages in Bolgheri, such as 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019 have been extremely notable, especially 2019; the first examples of Bolgheri Rosso have recently been released, with the more powerful versions of Bolgheri Superiore (aged longer before release), will be on the market next year. Fabio Motta of the eponymous estate, describes the differences between 2018 and 2019 in Bolgheri. “In 2018 we have more powerful wines, with soft tannins. In 2019 we had a more gradual ripening, which in my opinion means we will have wines with characteristics of freshness and a dynamic sip that I love very much. Personally I prefer 2019 but 2018 is an excellent vintage.”

While the superstar wines from Bolgheri such as Sassicaia, Ornellaia and Messorio (a 100% Merlot from Le Macchiole) are made in limited production and are priced accordingly, there are numerous values. Two examples of Bolgheri Rosso from 2019 that offer great character and complexity are those from Grattamacco and the “Pievi” from Fabio Motta. These wines are blends (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese for the Motta wine; Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot for the Grattmacco); priced in the $18-$25 range, these are beautifully balanced reds that can be enjoyed tonight or five to seven years from now. These wines are great introductions to what Bolgheri red wines are all about, and also serve as previews, if you will, to the more famous Bolgheri Superiore. Other fine values include the “Clarice” Bolgheri Rosso from Dario di Vaira; “Peàn” Bolgheri Rosso from Batzella, and “Moreccio” Bolgheri Rosso from Casa di Terra.

The success of Bolgheri has been phenomenal in such a short time frame, and there doesn’t seem to be any signs that sales – or critical praise – will slow down any time soon; Antinori exudes a great deal of satisfaction regarding this situation. “The value of Bolgheri wines has been steadily increasing in the last years, even across all the pandemic time, and right now we have the highest average value per bottle by far across all the Italian appellations … these achievements have only been possible not only through the work of some outstanding producers, but through the endeavors of all the Bolgheri estates that follow the same path: maximum quality without compromises, making Bolgheri a symbol of Tuscan wine excellence and of Made in Italy.”

Fifteen highly recommended current releases from Bolgheri:

Rosato (rosé)

Donna Olimpia 1898 2020 vintage

White

Donna Olimpia 1898 Bolgheri Bianco 2019

Grattamacco Vermentino 2020

Guado al Melo “Criseo” 2019

Red

Le Macchiole “Messorio” 2017

Dario di Vaira Bolgheri Superiore 2018

Guado al Tasso Bolgheri Superiore “Matarocchio” 2016

Michele Satta Bolgheri Superiore “Piastraia” 2018

Fabio Motta Bolgheri Superiore “Le Gonnare” 2018

Tenuta Argentiera Bolgheri Superiore “Argentiera” 2018

Batzella Bolgheri Superiore “Tâm” 2015

Campo alle Comete Bolgheri Superiore 2015

Tenuta San Guido “Sassicaia” 2018

Ornellaia 2018

Grattamacco Bolgheri Superiore “Grattamacco” 2018