Bolgheri is, above all, a state of mind, a way of life, the rarefied atmosphere of a world thought to no longer exist. As in a mosaic, the single pieces which compose it are of precious materials and colors, but observing them one by one there is no perception of the overall picture. Nature here remains in a pristine state; woods dominate the hillsides which, running parallel to the coast, protect it from winter's worst cold. And, to the west, sparkles the blue of the sea, a sea which mitigates with its breezes the dog day heat of July and August. The vineyards, often wedged into the green of forest spaces or of ancient olive groves, dominates, together with the silent whistling of the wind, a landscape drawn discretely by the human hand. The population is warm and welcoming, smiling and happy to share with curious visitors the lovely life it daily leads. The hamlets and villages have been well preserved, without any concessions to tourist pleasing gimmicks: walking through their narrow streets, one immediately feels the presence of real and genuine life, human in its scale, free and stress and frenzy. Even culture has its proper role, with well calculated events never out of scale with local life. But the most precious pieces of all in this mosaic are the wines of this territory, wines which made the history of the recent Italian winemaking and which perfectly match the local cuisine. Fragrant wines, complex, generous, wines which give voice to the territory above and beyond the grapes of their blend. With them the mosaic is complete, a fascinating picture has been composed. Behind the label of that elegant and complex red, the natural and spontaneous joy of this part of Tuscany, of Italy, can be felt. The label evokes an entire world, a world which has always been part of our dreams, but which exists and is real. The visits to the vineyard, to the cellars, to the medieval hamlets, to the hillsides and to the sea, the tastings with the producers, make it quite clear to what extent this world exists and is real and concrete, one which can be touched and experienced. And to taste the wines of Bolgheri after a visit, after this experience, at home or anywhere in the world, will bring back the memories of these sensations, will breathe new life into them, will reawaken the desire to live them, as intensely as possible, once again.

Wines

The wines are generally based on a blend of Cabernet (both Sauvignon and Franc) and Merlot, often accompanied by Syrah, Petit Verdot and Sangiovese sometimes. In the last years the number of single variety cru, made with the three main grapes, is increasing. We are always dealing with intense red wines with a dark ruby, often impenetrable, color and with a very important aging ability. The aromas are characterized by black berry fruit, ripe and sweet, with balsamic notes of Mediterranean brush, typical of the Bolgheri terroir. On the palate there is a striking suppleness and softness; the sweetness of the fruit, perceptible on the mid-palate, is always freshened and by a tonic acidity and by a ripe, dense tannic texture, with an excellent length. Even when the structure is a powerful one, the wines, for this reason, are always balanced and harmonious. Just below the level of Bolgheri Sassicaia, Bolgheri Superiore, and the great IGT wines we find Bolgheri Rosso. These are wines which give exceptional drinking pleasure – wines which are soft, elegant, and ripe in character, less demanding and ambitious compared to the "Superiore" category, but always capable of accompanying, with much pleasure, flavorful dishes of red meat and game. It is important to note that a good part of the Bolgheri vineyards are still relatively young. This means that the quality level of the current production can only continue to improve over time with a greater vine age. It is for this reason that the international wine press unanimously maintains that Bolgheri has a "giant" potential yet to express.

Vineyard and vines

The density of cultivation in the vineyards is very variable. The oldest have a density of 5,500-6,000 grapevines per hectare, while some of the most recent reach the level of 10,000 grapevines per hectare, and require the use of long arm tractors. Most of the new cultivation systems have a density of approximately 7,000 grapevines per hectare. The predominant cultivation system is the cordon spur system, but there are also examples of guyot, and even free-standing systems(gobelet). The most important varieties, obviously, are those whose vocation was amply demonstrated by Sassicaia first, and other historical varieties later, such as Ornellaia, Grattamacco, Macchiole, Guado al Tasso, and Satta. This means Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. The experimentation which has now been taking place for almost twenty years, has shown the great potential of other varieties such as Syrah and Petit Verdot. And sometimes Sangiovese too has given excellent results. For white wines, Vermentino is currently the most planted. Sauvignon Blanc, after changing fortunes, is recovering a highly-qualitative dimension, and is often accompanied by Viognier.

Grapevines  Variety

DOC Bolgheri

• 0-100% Cabernet Sauvignon


• 0-100% Merlot


• 0-100% Cabernet Franc


• 0-50% Syrah


• 0-50% Sangiovese


• < 30% complementary (Petit Verdot, etc)


•  Maximum yield 90 q.li/ha

The wine may be released only after the 1 September on the year following harvest

DOC Bolgheri Superiore

• 0-100% Cabernet Sauvignon


• 0-100% Merlot


• 0-100% Cabernet Franc


• 0-50% Syrah


• 0-50% Sangiovese


• < 30% complementary (Petit Verdot, etc)


• Maximum yield 80 q.li/ha

The wine has to be aged at least 2 years calculated from the 1 January of the year following harvest, of which at least one in oak barrels