Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2023

Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2023 is the celebrated Cabernet blend from the Incisa della Rocchetta family's estate in Bolgheri, on the Tuscan coast. It shows black currant, fresh herbs and violets over fine, chalky tannins. Monica Larner awarded it a perfect 100 POINTS in The Wine Advocate. A wonderful wine for anyone who loves fragrant, elegant Cabernet.

In the glass it shows a deep, blackish garnet colour, pure and crunchy bramble fruit, and a long, fresh finish. The 2023 is built on finesse and fragrance, a lighter-footed Sassicaia shaped by a difficult growing season.

This is a wine for those of us who enjoy savoury, high-toned reds with real tension. It's a special weekend wine to share with people who love great Italian wine, and a bottle to lay down for a milestone birthday or anniversary.

Sassicaia has an appellation all of its own, DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia, which lies entirely within Tenuta San Guido.

What it tastes like

Jancis Robinson MW rated it 17.5+ out of 20, and found it very distinctive, savoury and well sculpted, with tannins in profusion. Antonio Galloni of Vinous described it as elegant and supremely polished. James Button of Decanter noted a succulent, sapid mid-palate and prolonged freshness. Monica Larner praised its beautiful softness and mineral tension, along with a delicate hint of mentuccia romana, a wild Roman mint that is sweeter and gentler than classic mint. It's a beautiful wine.

Style at a glance

• Body: Medium to full
• Sweetness: Dry
• Acidity: Bright and lively
• Tannin: Fine, chalky and plentiful
• Oak: French barriques, adding a faint hint of cedar and spice behind the fruit
• Style: Fragrant, elegant, cellar-worthy Bolgheri red

Food to enjoy this with

• Bistecca alla fiorentina, the classic Tuscan T-bone, cooked rare over coals
• Slow-roasted lamb shoulder with rosemary and garlic
• Pappardelle with wild boar ragù
• Venison loin with juniper and a red wine jus
• Aged Parmigiano Reggiano
• Porcini mushroom risotto: an unexpected match, as its earthy, savoury flavours bring out the herbal side of the wine

Who makes it

Tenuta San Guido belongs to the Incisa della Rocchetta family. In 1944 Mario Incisa della Rocchetta planted just over one hectare of Cabernet Sauvignon at around 400 metres in Castiglioncello di Bolgheri, having noticed that the gravelly, stony soils resembled those of the Graves in Bordeaux. Sassicaia stayed a private wine for family and friends until 1967, and the 1968 vintage was the first to be sold.

Today Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grow in five estate plots: Castiglioncello, Aia Nuova, Cerreta, Sassicaia di Sopra and San Martino, at 100 to 360 metres above sea level. The soils are calcareous and rich in marl, with areas of clay and the stones and pebbles that give Sassicaia its name.

His son Nicolò Incisa della Rocchetta, now Honorary Chairman, launched Sassicaia onto the market and took it to collectors around the world. The third generation is represented by five cousins, with Nicolò's daughter Priscilla responsible for external relations. The family also makes Guidalberto, a Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend.

For the 2023 vintage, the grapes were picked by hand between 4 September and 5 October, in the cooler hours of the day. The wine was fermented in stainless steel with yeasts selected on the estate, went through malolactic fermentation (a natural softening of the acidity) spontaneously, then spent 24 months in barriques, 40% of them new, before bottling in January 2026.

About the vintage

Carlo Paoli, General Manager of Tenuta San Guido, reported that persistent rain during flowering left the bunches less dense, and high humidity raised the risk of downy mildew, a fungal disease of the vine. The team opened up the canopy to let air through, and in a particularly hot July they sprayed kaolin clay to shield the leaves from the sun. Yields were well below average, but he described the quality as excellent, with small, healthy berries and mature, well-integrated tannins.

Aldo Fiordelli of JamesSuckling.com called 2023 a challenging year in Bolgheri, but one with "a rare Mediterranean elegance". He reported that the later-ripening varieties did best, especially Cabernet Franc, which makes up 13% of this blend.

Critic scores and ratings

• 100 POINTS – Monica Larner – The Wine Advocate, January 2026
  "Very few vintages of this legendary Tuscan wine deliver the immediate joy, richness and complexity found in the Tenuta San Guido 2023 Bolgheri Sassicaia. Tasted both before and after its January 2026 bottling, this is a wine that feels uncannily open and generous in its youth, a rare trait for Sassicaia, which is famously inscrutable at this stage. The 2023 vintage was marked by a cold winter and above-average rainfall followed by a severe outbreak of downy mildew that damaged leaves, forcing brutal fruit selection and resulting in a 20% reduction in yields. Only the estates willing to make these sacrifices succeeded, and the best wines rank among the most compelling and elusive of recent years. The blend includes 13% to 14% Cabernet Franc alongside Cabernet Sauvignon, with the Franc playing a decisive phenolic role that reinforces elegance, linearity and brightness. Aromas unfold with wild sage, rosemary and dark fruit before moving into crushed stone minerality, rose petal and a finely spiced spectrum of pink peppercorn, nutmeg, anise, cardamom, bergamot and blood orange, joined by a delicate note of mentuccia romana, sweeter and gentler than classic mint. The palate shows beautiful softness framed by chalky tannins and mineral tension. Its acidity shines bright and guarantees long cellar aging potential. The wine remains fluid and flexible in the glass as different facets of the bouquet emerge. Like the legendary 1985, 2023 was a difficult and stressful vintage shaped by a cold winter, yet it stands as proof that great pressure can indeed give birth to diamonds."
• 99 POINTS – James Suckling – JamesSuckling.com, February 2026
  "Very cool, complex and pretty aromas of black currants, fresh herbs such as sage and rosemary, with lavender and violet undertones. Medium- to full-bodied with crunchy and layered fruit delivering currant, plum, spice, cedar and bark flavors as well as polished and velvety tannins. A very clear and distinctive Sassicaia with true character of the estate. Drink in 2 or 3 years and beyond."
• 98 POINTS – James Button – Decanter, February 2026
  "Sassicaia 2023 will divide drinkers. While its quality is without question, it takes the idea of finesse and elegance to another level. In truth, this is more a reflection of the vintage conditions than a winemaking decision – but that's what all great wineries aim to show in the glass, isn't it? For some, this will be too light, too floral, and too far removed from 'classic' Bolgheri. For others, especially those who have been following this estate for several years, it's a dream come true; a true-to-life model for the future of Italian reds. Me? I'm on the fence. It almost pales in comparison to the depth of fruit and chewy tannins of 2022, while the 2019 tasted alongside emphasises juiciness and silkiness. Supple, lifted and fragrant, 2023's pure, crunchy bramble fruits, succulent, sapid mid-palate and prolonged freshness make you think differently...in a very good way. 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Cabernet Franc."
• 98 POINTS – Danielle Callegari – Wine Enthusiast, September 2026
• 97 POINTS – Antonio Galloni – Vinous, July 2026
• 96 POINTS – Bruce Sanderson – Wine Spectator, August 2026

When to drink it

It's already a joy to drink: Monica Larner found it unusually open and generous for a young Sassicaia. James Suckling recommends drinking it in 2 or 3 years and beyond. Monica Larner gives a drinking window of 2027 to 2060, and Antonio Galloni suggests 2033 to 2053. This is the sort of wine you buy a case of, to open over the decades ahead.

Technical details

Where to buy

The Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2023 is available online at thewineryonline.co.nz for delivery within New Zealand. You can also buy it at our Queenstown and Arrowtown wine stores, alongside a large range of New Zealand and international wine. Online and in both stores you can select a mixed case from a large range of wines.

Questions we are often asked

What grapes are in Sassicaia 2023?

Sassicaia 2023 is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Cabernet Franc, all grown in Tenuta San Guido's own vineyards at Bolgheri.

How did critics score Sassicaia 2023?

Monica Larner gave it 100 POINTS in The Wine Advocate. It also received 99 POINTS from James Suckling, 98 POINTS from both Decanter and Wine Enthusiast, 97 POINTS from Vinous and 96 POINTS from Wine Spectator.

Is Sassicaia 2023 ready to drink now?

Yes. Monica Larner found it unusually open and generous for a young Sassicaia, and its bright acidity means it will also age for decades.

How long can I cellar Sassicaia 2023?

The Wine Advocate's window runs through to 2060, while Vinous suggests drinking it between 2033 and 2053.

Is Sassicaia its own DOC?

Yes. Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC is a single-estate appellation, and its whole area sits inside Tenuta San Guido.

Where can I buy Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2023?

The Winery sells Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2023 online at thewineryonline.co.nz for delivery within New Zealand. You can also buy it in our Queenstown and Arrowtown wine stores.