The 2015 Sassicaia is bold and full-bodied with rich blackcurrant, spice, and a touch of cinnamon. It’s dense and powerful with ripe tannins giving great structure and length. While a bit riper and less elegant than some other vintages, it’s charming and approachable now, but will keep improving through 2045. A classic with lots of energy and depth.

Jamessuckling.com | JS 98
Published: Jan 19, 2018

Love the aromas to this young red with blackcurrants, sage, cinnamon and five-spice character. Changes all the time. Full-bodied, dense and powerful with a ripe and rich tannin backbone that gives form and beauty to the ripe and beautiful fruit. Tight and very long. Approachable now but will reward more in five to six years. A classic Sassicaia.

The Wine Advocate | RP 97
Published: Mar 1, 2018
Drink: 2020-2045

Having followed this wine's evolution in barrel for the past few years, it is an honor to evaluate the final product. This Sassicaia has blossomed since my previous encounters with it as a young, awkward adolescent. The long-awaited 2015 Bolgheri Sassicaia represents a tremendous effort that comes together with seamless precision and focus. This is a confident and proud red wine from Tuscany. Starting with the primary material at hand, you sense the quality of fruit thanks to the wine's beautifully dark appearance and the rich texture it offers to the palate. The acidity is integrated, but more freshness still would have been welcomed in my view (and would also contribute to its longevity). The bouquet is amplified both in terms of volume and length. Its playlist includes dark berry fruit, spice, leather, licorice and roasted coffee bean. Yet, the mouthfeel is extremely graceful and silky. The wine's undisputed pedigree is showcased on the palate. It should also be noted that this edition of Sassicaia feels more ready and open to me. It will age and evolve beautifully, but the 2015 Sassicaia can also be enjoyed in the medium-term. This wine is all about the here and now. 

Decanter | D 97
Published: Nov 5, 2022
Drink: 2025-2045

The 2015 vintage was also a very hot vintage and produced a bolder, riper style of wine which was much loved and appreciated by wine critics and collectors alike, but for Tenuta San Guido themselves it was less typically Sassicaia and a little less elegant and reserved than their preferred style. However, it is a wine with a lot of charm. It is big, bold and full bodied with aromas of toast and cream and plenty of ripe blackberries. This 2015 has a young, forceful personality that’s hard not to like. Full of charm.
Closure: Cork
Alcohol: 14.00%
Body: Full
Oak: Oaked
Grapes: 15% Cabernet Franc 85% Cabernet Sauvignon

Jancisrobinson.com | JR 17++
Published: Mar 6, 2018
Drink: 2018-2030

Lustrous mid ruby. Ripe dark fruit reflecting this warm vintage but with intrinsic freshness and finely chiselled tannins.

Tenutasanguido.com

The wines of Tenuta San Guido are three different expressions of a unique style. Sassicaia, from which everything began. Guidalberto, which after more than twenty years has reached full maturity. Le Difese, a wine of great pleasantness that best represents the Tuscan character.

SOIL STYLE

The soils on which the vineyards stand has varied and complex terrain features with a strong presence of limestone, feature areas rich in marl and pebbles as well as being partly clayey. The production facilities are located at an average altitude of between 80 and 400 metres above sea level, with a west/south-west exposure.

WEATHER TRENDS

2105 was a very good year. After an overall mild winter, with temperatures below the seasonal average in January and February and abundant rainfall, the vegetative growth began in the second week of April with the arrival of mild temperatures and sunny days. The rainfall, which continued throughout the first part of spring, favoured a more rapid vegetation of the plants, and made the soil water reserve adequate. Flowering, which ended at the end of May, was excellent, followed by very good fruit, helped by a truly favourable climate. June and the first half of July were characterised by temperatures above the seasonal average but, from the end of July, they dropped back to normal. This was also thanks to some rainfall, which brought fresh air to the benefit of the vineyards and led to excellent grape production. The good temperature variation between night and day, which occurred throughout the month of August, ensured perfect phenolic ripening of the grapes.

HARVESTING

Harvesting began in mid-September with the Cabernet Franc grapes, followed by the Sauvignon grapes, and was completed at the end of September with the harvesting of the grapes from the hillside vineyards.
Excellent quality of the grapes, which arrived in the cellar crisp, well pitted and very healthy.

FERMENTATION

Selection of the grapes happened using a sorting table. Very soft pressing and destemming of the grapes followed by fermentation in stainless steel vats at a controlled temperature of around 30° - 31°C (without the addition of external yeasts), with maceration lasting around 12-15 days for the Cabernet Franc and 10-13 days for the Cabernet Sauvignon. Frequent pumping over of the must and délestages. Malolactic fermentation in steel vats completed in November.

AGEING

Once malolactic fermentation was complete, the wine was placed in French oak barriques, and a small part in American oak, where it was aged for a period between the 20 and 25 months. The duration of the ageing is technically decided on the basis of the seasonal trend of the vintage.