A Vertical Tasting of Sassicaia
Monday, April 16, 
Tasting Cost: $495Limited to: 18Event: 6:30 – 8:30
Sassicaia was established by Mario Incisa della Rochetta at Tenuta San Guido and is considered the seminal “Super Tuscan.” The wine originated in 1948 using Cabernet Sauvignon vines reputedly sourced from Château Lafite-Rothschild. From 1968, internationally renowned consultants were engaged to improve the production, such as Giacomo Tachis and Émile Peynaud. Small commercial quantities were not released until in the mid 1970s.
At a 1978 Decanter tasting of “great clarets,” a panel including Hugh Johnson, Serena Sutcliffe and Clive Coates awarded the 1972 Sassicaia victory over a field of 33 wines from 11 countries, and established the wine’s international reputation. The rest, as they say, is history. Today, Tenuta San Guido cultivates fruit from several plots scattered around Bolgheri extending 190 acres, with a grape variety distribution of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc.
For this special tasting, EWS has gathered 14 of the most successful vintages for Sassicaia spanning a 30-year period. Included is the famous 1985 Sassicaia, widely considered to be among the greatest wines made in the 20th century – from anywhere.
Here’s the once-in-a-lifetime lineup of Sassicaia:
1982 (90WS)
1985 (100WA, 99WS – sells for 4 times the price if this tasting!)
1988 (90WA, 97WS)
1990 (94WA, 93WS)
1995 (92WA, 90WS)
1998 (90WA, 94IWC, 95WS)
2000 (95IWC, 93WS)
2001 (97IWC, 94WS)
2003 (93WA. 93IWC, 92WS)
2004 (93WA, 97IWC, 94WS)
2005 (93WA, 90IWC, 94WS)
2006 (97WA, 95IWC, 94WS)
2007 (95WA, 91IWC, 93WS)
2008 (96WA, 94WS)
All EWS tastings take place at New York Vintners, 21 Warren Street (between Broadway and Church Street) in Tribeca.
