Tenuta San Guido
Guidalberto Tenuta San Guido
2014
Guidalberto represents Tenuta San Guido's exceptional second wine from Bolgheri, offering a refined Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot blend that captures the essence of one of Tuscany's most celebrated estates with approachable elegance and Super Tuscan character.
Country
Italy
Region
Tuscany - Bolgheri
More information
Producer
Tenuta San Guido is the producer of Sassicaia, the groundbreaking Super Tuscan that established Bolgheri as a fine wine region and became the only estate in Italy to hold its own dedicated DOC. Founded in the 1940s by Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta on the Tuscan coast, the property remains under the stewardship of the Incisa della Rocchetta family. Its wines are distinguished by refined aromatic complexity, structural precision and extraordinary capacity for cellaring across decades.
Quick Facts
- Location: Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy
- Founded: 1940s
- Founder: Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta
- Ownership: Incisa della Rocchetta family
- Classification: Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC – Italy's only single-estate DOC
- Principal grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc
- Soils: Gravel, sand, clay and limestone
- Grand Vin: Sassicaia
- Estate wines: Guidalberto and Le Difese
- Style: Structured, aromatic and built for extended ageing
- Ageing potential: 30 to 50 years or more for Sassicaia
- First commercial vintage: 1968
A Pioneering Vision on the Tuscan Coast
Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta planted Cabernet Sauvignon at Tenuta San Guido in the 1940s, inspired by the fine wines of Bordeaux and guided by his belief that the gravelly soils and maritime climate of coastal Tuscany could produce wines of similar structure and finesse. For decades, Sassicaia remained a private wine shared only among friends and family.
The first commercial release came in 1968, and by the 1970s, Sassicaia had gained international recognition. It challenged prevailing perceptions of Italian wine and inspired an entire generation of producers to explore international varieties beyond Tuscany's traditional Sangiovese heartland. In 1994, Sassicaia was granted its own DOC—Bolgheri Sassicaia—the only appellation in Italy created for a single estate.
The Vineyards of Bolgheri
The estate's vineyards lie between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the hills that shelter Bolgheri from the interior. Cooling maritime breezes moderate summer temperatures and extend the ripening season, allowing Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc to develop aromatic complexity alongside structural depth.
The diversity of Bolgheri's soils plays a defining role in the estate's wines. Layers of gravel, sand, clay and limestone create varied expressions across different parcels, with the finest fruit selected for Sassicaia. These geological characteristics, combined with careful vineyard management and low yields, form the foundation for wines of concentration, balance and remarkable longevity.
Sassicaia and the Estate Portfolio
Sassicaia is typically composed of approximately 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc, though proportions vary by vintage. After fermentation, the wine matures for around 24 months in French oak barriques, developing layered aromas of cassis, cedar, graphite and dried herbs alongside firm but refined tannins. It is a wine built to evolve gracefully over 30 years or more.
Guidalberto, introduced in 2000, blends Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot and offers a more approachable expression of the estate's terroir and winemaking philosophy. Le Difese, the estate's third wine, combines Cabernet Sauvignon with Sangiovese and is made for earlier drinking while maintaining the clarity and balance that define Tenuta San Guido across its range.
Country
Region
Tuscany - Bolgheri
Bolgheri is widely regarded as one of Italy's most influential wine regions and the birthplace of the Super Tuscan movement that revolutionised Italian winemaking in the late 20th century. Located on the Tuscan coast in central Italy, Bolgheri broke from traditional Italian grape varieties and classifications to produce Bordeaux-inspired blends that achieved international acclaim and redefined what Italian fine wine could be. Today the region represents the benchmark for modern Italian winemaking and produces some of the country's most collectible bottles.
The region benefits from a distinctive maritime climate influenced by the Tyrrhenian Sea, which moderates temperatures and extends the growing season. Sandy clay and gravel soils provide ideal drainage and concentration for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, while coastal breezes preserve natural acidity and freshness. Granted DOC status in 1994, Bolgheri encompasses both varietal wines and blends, with the prestigious Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC established in 2013 exclusively for Tenuta San Guido's legendary Sassicaia—Italy's first internationally recognised Super Tuscan and the wine that inspired an entire movement.
Bolgheri is home to several iconic estates that have achieved global recognition. Tenuta San Guido produces the celebrated Sassicaia, while Ornellaia, Masseto, Le Macchiole, Grattamacco and Guado al Tasso continue to produce refined and powerful wines that command respect from collectors worldwide. These producers have elevated Bolgheri to a status that rivals Bordeaux's finest appellations and established the region as synonymous with exceptional quality and visionary winemaking.
Whether exploring legendary vintages, prestigious estates or benchmark Super Tuscan blends, Bolgheri offers an exceptional journey through one of Italy's most dynamic wine regions. Discover Bolgheri wines, compare prices from trusted merchants across Europe and find the best offers with Sipfind.
Grapes
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world’s most important and widely planted red wine grapes, renowned for its powerful structure, concentrated fruit and exceptional ageing potential. Originating in Bordeaux, France, the variety has become a defining grape of fine wine regions around the world, particularly Napa Valley, Tuscany, Chile, Australia and South Africa.
Classic Cabernet Sauvignon combines flavours and aromas of blackcurrant, cassis, blackberry and dark cherry with characteristic notes of cedar, graphite, tobacco and herbs. Naturally high tannins and fresh acidity provide structure and longevity, while maturation in oak can add layers of spice, vanilla and toast. Its character varies significantly with climate, soil and winemaking, ranging from elegant and savoury to rich, powerful and intensely concentrated.
In Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon is particularly associated with the Left Bank, where it forms the foundation of many prestigious blends alongside Merlot, Cabernet Franc and other permitted varieties. In Napa Valley, it has become the region’s signature red grape, producing some of the world’s most sought-after Cabernet Sauvignon wines.
Cabernet Sauvignon’s ability to express terroir while retaining its distinctive structure and character has made it a global benchmark for premium red wine. Whether produced as the dominant variety in a blend or as a varietal wine, the finest examples combine concentration, complexity and the capacity to develop gracefully over decades
Merlot is one of the world’s most important red wine grapes, celebrated for its generous fruit, supple texture and ability to produce wines ranging from approachable and elegant to exceptionally complex and long-lived. Originating in Bordeaux, France, Merlot is particularly associated with the Right Bank, where it forms the foundation of many of the prestigious wines of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion.
Merlot typically expresses flavours and aromas of plum, black cherry, blackberry and red fruits, often developing notes of chocolate, tobacco, cedar, herbs and earthy complexity with maturation. Its naturally rounded texture and generally softer tannin profile distinguish it from Cabernet Sauvignon, although the finest examples can possess considerable structure, freshness and ageing potential.
In Pomerol, Merlot reaches some of its most celebrated expressions, particularly on the appellation’s clay-rich soils, producing wines of remarkable concentration, texture and complexity. In Saint-Émilion, it is commonly blended with Cabernet Franc and, to a lesser extent, Cabernet Sauvignon, creating wines that combine ripe fruit with structure, aromatic complexity and longevity.
Beyond Bordeaux, Merlot is widely cultivated in Italy, California, Washington State, Chile and other major wine regions. It can be produced as a varietal wine or used as a central component of blends, where its fruit and texture complement more structured grape varieties.
From the great Merlot-based wines of Bordeaux’s Right Bank to leading expressions around the world, Merlot’s combination of rich fruit, refined texture and capacity to express terroir has established it as one of the defining varieties of fine red wine.
History and Style
Guidalberto is the distinguished second wine of Tenuta San Guido, the legendary Bolgheri estate that revolutionized Italian winemaking with Sassicaia. This Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot blend represents the estate's commitment to expressing its exceptional terroir across multiple tiers, offering collectors and enthusiasts access to San Guido's winemaking philosophy at a more approachable level than the flagship.
Quick Facts
- Producer: Tenuta San Guido
- Classification: DOC Bolgheri
- Region: Tuscany
- Appellation: DOC Bolgheri
- Country: Italy
- Style: Full-bodied Super Tuscan red
- Grape Composition: Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot blend (proportions vary by vintage, typically 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot)
- Ageing Potential: 8-12 years from vintage
- Alcohol (ABV): 13.5-14%
- Tasting Profile: Blackcurrant, dark cherry, plum, Mediterranean herbs, cedar, spice, integrated oak
- Food Pairing: Grilled meats, Tuscan steak, lamb, aged pecorino, game dishes
- Serving Temperature: 16-18°C
- Bottle Status: Second Wine
- Vintage: Varies by release (vintage-dated)
Vineyard, Terroir and Style
Tenuta San Guido's vineyards benefit from Bolgheri's unique coastal microclimate, where maritime breezes from the Tyrrhenian Sea temper the Tuscan sun and create ideal ripening conditions for Bordeaux varieties. The estate's gravelly, well-drained soils—similar to those found in the Médoc—produce wines of remarkable structure and aromatic complexity. Guidalberto draws from younger vines and selected parcels, capturing the essence of this privileged terroir with vibrant fruit expression and refined tannins.
History and Reputation
The wine typically showcases ripe blackcurrant, dark cherry, and plum notes complemented by hints of Mediterranean herbs, cedar, and spice. Medium to full-bodied with balanced acidity and integrated oak influence, Guidalberto offers immediate pleasure while possessing the structure for medium-term cellaring. The Merlot component adds roundness and approachability to Cabernet's classic framework, creating a harmonious Super Tuscan that embodies Bolgheri's reputation as Italy's premier territory for international varieties.
Compare prices for Guidalberto Tenuta San Guido across premium wine retailers on Sipfind and discover why this second wine has earned recognition as one of Bolgheri's most reliable and compelling expressions.