The now world-famous region on Tuscany's Mediterranean coast has made a meteoric rise from a sleepy start and in a very short time has rapidly developed into a mecca for discerning wine lovers, far beyond Italy's national borders. From 0 to 100 in just a few decades and at the same time being the epicenter of a quality revolution that enjoys an absolutely unique selling point in the international wine world. Wines with the sign "Bolgheri" on the label are among the most sought-after wines in the world, on a par with the 1er Crus from Bordeaux or the best Bourgogne Grand Crus.
Hardly any region in the world today, with the exception perhaps of Pomerol, can boast so many great names in such a small space. It all began in the small, sleepy village of Bolgheri, which later gave its name to the exclusive region. Here, on a barren, stony soil, Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, a great Bordeaux lover, planted his favorite variety, Cabernet Sauvignon. For decades the wine was not sold but exclusively enjoyed by the family or poured out to friends. That was until his nephew, Piero Antinori, enjoying a bottle of this wine persuaded the Marchese to bring this treasure on the market.
At the end of the 60s, the first bottles were released under the name "Sassicaia", named after the stones in the vineyard ("Sassi"). This wine surprised critics and wine lovers alike to an unbelievable extent, and this was not only the birth of a legend, but also the starting shot of a tremendous quality revolution. The quiet period was now over, even more so when the 1985 Sassicaia reached the magic 100-point mark in the "Wine Advocate" for the first time. Many producers now wanted to acquire vineyards in this legendary region, and the Sassicaia found imitators, such as today's icon wine "Ornellaia" and others grouped under the term "Super Tuscans".
In the absence of regulations for the grape varieties, these outstanding wines were sold as "Vino da Tavola"; as "table wines". It was not until 1994 that Bolgheri received its own DOC in recognition of its outstanding qualities. But what makes this small region on the coast so special? On the one hand, there are the soils, partly stony, partly sandy, also partly with limestone.
On the other hand, there is the mild, Mediterranean climate, which is distantly reminiscent of Bordeaux. The Mediterranean Sea, only about 10 kilometers away, sends gentle cooling breezes into the vineyards, where unsurprisingly, under these ideal conditions mainly Bordeaux varieties thrive.
Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot are the main protagonists, supported by Petit Verdot and Syrah. Among the white wines, Vermentino plays a role.
The explosive growth of the vineyard area shows how rapidly the interest in Bolgheri has developed. While 25 years ago there were about 200 hectares under vines, today there are already 1,000 more. The interest of the Piedmontese winemaking legend Angelo Gaja, who acquired vineyards here at the turn of the century and built a spectacular winery with Ca'Marcanda, certainly had a great effect. Along with Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti Classico, for example, Bolgheri is now one of the hot spots, perhaps even the hot spot, for great red wines in Tuscany.
.
