The small Tuscan town of Bolgheri historically produced simple wines made from the native grapes Sangiovese and Trebbiano. Super Tuscan wines, which were developed in Bolgheri in the 1960s and ‘70s and were made with international varieties, were an immediate success, but for many years regulators only allowed wines made from the traditional varieties to carry any kind of quality designation. Super Tuscans, including the acclaimed and pricey Sassicaia, bore the low-rent label “Vino da Tavola.”
It was only in the mid-1990s that regulators moved to include Cabernet-based wines in the Bolgheri DOC, which also now permits Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah in its red blends. In 2013, the Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC was established specifically for the groundbreaking Sassicaia, made at Tenuta San Guido in Bolgheri.
Explore other wine countries and regions
Pronunciation
[BOHL-gay-ree]
