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THE STUNNING 2017 SASSICAIA

Tenuta San Guido is on a roll like no other in Italy. There is a reason they are considered Italy’s most important winery and the 2017 vintage is the perfect example as to why. 2017 is the hottest vintage on record and while the 2017 Sassicaia is lusher and richer than the past couple vintages, Tenuta San Guido still made one of their finest wines ever. It's also one of the two wines of the vintage, the other being the 2017 Ornellaia. Tenuta San Guido luckily has the benefit of being Cabernet-based in Bolgheri, a coastal growing region with extremely hot days and much cooler nights, which give us that power as well as amazing structure. The winery also reduced production by more than a third, allowing them to produce this amazing wine. This year, we will be receiving half of what we normally receive because of the winery’s quality control.” – Lance Montalto, The Wine House

"This past March, we popped a bottle of the 2017 Sassicaia while eating at Enoteca Tognoni. Yeah, this bottle was young, but it was still off the charts fantastic with the Bistecca... such a treat!" - Lance Montalto

This wine is expected to arrive in June 2020

Check out our CLOSEOUT wines on our website! Quantities are limited to current stock and new closeout wines are added regularly!

NOTE: The Wine House is not open for walk-in customers. We offer curbside pickup between 11AM and 6PM. Please see below for curbside pickup instructions and contact us before coming to the store.

NEW! For orders over $250, we now offer Special Local Delivery
Monday - Friday to addresses up to 10 miles from the store for $8/case.
Additional delivery options are also available on our website.
2017 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia (Pre-Arrival, ETA June 2020)
93-96 Points Vinous
95-96 Points James Suckling
96 Points International Wine Report
94 Points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Release Price: $245
Wine House $218.99

Limited Availability
93 – 96 Points: "The 2017 Sassicaia is dark, sensual and rich, which is a good thing, as the tannins - the result of a warm, dry year in which phenolic ripening was difficult to fully reach - are also quite powerful. I tasted the 2017 from an approximate blend from barrel, where the wines are still aging in separate lots. It will be interesting to see where things end up once the wine is in bottle." – Antonio Galloni, Vinous (March 2020)

95 – 96 Points: “This shows focus and finesse with dark berries, currants and a light rosemary character. Full-bodied, refined and focused. Serious.” – James Suckling (September 2018)

96 Points: "The 2017 Sassicaia is a remarkable showing from this challenging vintage that experienced high temperatures and drought for most of the growing season. Despite the challenges set-forth by mother nature, the team at Tenuta San Guido has managed to produce an exceptional wine, through strict grape selection to eliminate impurities, and experienced decision making in both the vineyard and cellar. The final blend is composed of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc, which was sourced from the estates higher elevations plots situated about 1,100 feet above sea level, which received more relief from the hot daytime temperatures. As far as the wine itself, it begins with an aromatic profile of blackberries, cherries and hints of dark plum, which are laced with forest herbs, earthy minerals, fresh cut florals and spices, which all come together beautifully in the glass. On the palate this is medium to full-bodied and beautifully structured with polished tannins resulting in a gorgeous mouthfeel. It continues to impress with its notable concentration and overall balance leading up to the gorgeous finish. The wine spent 24 months in French oak barriques (one third new wood and the rest, first and second passage). The 2017 is nothing short of a total success and should not be overlooked. While appears this will be accessible earlier than most recent vintages, it also has plenty of aging potential and should go on to offer a drinking window that could span nearly two decades.” – J. D’Angelo, International Wine Report (January 2020)

94 Points: "The 2017 Sassicaia is a fascinating wine that symbolizes a never-ending tug-of-war between vintner and vintage. The question is who comes out on top? In this case, my money is on the vintner. The 2017 vintage, characterized by scorching heat and drought across much of Italy, was not an easy one. However, vintners had ample time to prepare because those climatic challenges had already played out midway through the summer season. Vintners with experience such as that amassed at Tenuta San Guido (now on the eve of Sassicaia's 50th birthday celebration) knew exactly how to handle the tricky 2017 growing season. Fruit was harvested early to avoid any jammy sensations, and a strict selection process was employed in order to preserve the best clusters. This Sassicaia represents 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Cabernet Franc, with most of the fruit coming from the Tenuta's historic vineyards Castiglioncello, Quercione and Doccino. These plots are all located on the back hill of Bolgheri at slightly higher elevations where they enjoy cooler nighttime temperatures. Old vines also have a deeper root system that is key to braving dry and hot summers. You can absolutely taste those choices here thanks to the wine's aromatic profile that offers more variety-driven green highlights of wild berry, forest floor and bramble than I would have expected. With time, as the wine takes on more air in the glass, you get a hint of summer plum or cherry cough drop, and this, to my surprise, is the only subtle reminder of the hot vintage encountered. I found the aromas here to be authentically "Tuscan" in character, more so than other vintages, with balsamic and Mediterranean elements that borrow directly from the Sangiovese playbook. I left the wine in my glass over the course of a day, checking back periodically, to find a growing mineral profile of rust or metal that recalls the high concentration of iron and manganese found in these Bolgheri soils. Another vintage-specific adjustment made in 2017 was shorter overall maceration times in steel tanks (from 10 to 12 days for the Cabernet Sauvignon and eight to 10 days for the Cabernet Franc). However, pump-overs and délestages were almost doubled in order to introduce more oxygen to the yeasts during fermentations at lower temperatures. Based on my understanding of fermentation kinetics, this means the 2017 Sassicaia would have achieved the same amount of extraction in about half the time. This process champions the cool-temperature fermentations that are a hallmark of Tenuta San Guido, despite the heat of the vintage. This puts more emphasis on aromatic elegance and minerality, rather than mouthfeel texture or creaminess per se. In fact, the 2017 Sassicaia is much shorter in the mid-palate compared to 2015 or 2016. In terms of oak, Tenuta San Guido takes advantage of the softer tannins found in Allier and Tronçais oak. The 2017 vintage saw a greater percentage (from 20% to 30%) of third and fourth passage barrique during the first 10 months of aging. The decision to use more neutral oak favors the reduction of oxygen and softens the tannic profile. Although the wine does end with a hint of bitterness, it took on noticeably more volume and soft richness the longer I kept my sample in the glass. To recap my assessment, and with the memory of the 100-point 2016 vintage so fresh in my mind, I would give this wine a seven out of 10 in terms of aromas, a five out of 10 in terms of mid-palate, and an eight out of 10 in terms of structure. Another way to read those conclusions is as follows: The 2017 Sassicaia was expertly built to withstand a long aging future, yet only time will tell if the beauty of the bouquet will evolve at the same pace. This fascinating wine magically captures the hallmarks of cool-temperature winemaking in one of the hottest vintages in recent years. Vintners, not vintage, won this round.” – Monica Larner, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate (January 2020)

FROM THE IMPORTER

Sassicaia means “the place of many stones,” and refers to the region’s gravel soil. The original vineyards have a southwest exposure with extensive sun and maritime breezes that create robust vegetation. Grapes are handpicked, destemmed and crushed before fermenting with natural yeasts in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. The wine is aged in French oak barriques, then refined in bottle before release. Sassicaia’s success prompted the Italian government to grant the wine its own appellation, Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC, beginning with the 1994 vintage.

FOOD PAIRING: Pair with braised meats and hard cheeses.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS: 10% CANCELLATION FEE APPLIES TO ALL ORDERS. NO ORDER IS CONFIRMED UNTIL ACKNOWLEDGED VIA CONFIRMATION EMAIL FROM THE WINE HOUSE UPDATING YOUR ORDER TO “PRE-ARRIVAL” STATUS. WE WILL SHIP ONLY TO STATES THAT ARE DEEMED LEGAL AT THE TIME OF SHIPMENT. *PRICES AND AVAILABILITY SUBJECT TO CHANGE. All payments for Futures (“Pre-Arrivals”) are due and payable in full at the time the order is placed (including sales tax, if applicable). Quantities are limited. If we cannot fill your order, your payment will be promptly refunded to you in full or we will attempt to find the same wine at market price, which will probably be at a higher price. Should any increases in Federal, State or Local taxes go into effect prior to delivery; the actual cost of such an increase will be added to the cost of the wine, payable on receipt of the wine. Thirty days after notification the arrival of your wine(s), if not picked up, they will be subject to a storage charge of $10 per case per month. It is your responsibility to notify the Wine House (310-479-3731, ext. 0, or wine@winehouse.com) of address and email changes. We are not responsible for unclaimed wine damaged by Acts of God 15 days (or more) after you have been notified of the arrival of your wine(s).
TO ARRANGE CURBSIDE PICKUP:

1) Place your online order.
- We will send you a confirmation email to let you know when your order has been processed

2) After you receive the email confirmation from us that your order has been processed, email us to tell us you want curbside pickup. Please let us know the make, model and color of your vehicle. Please give us 1.5 hours to get your order staged and consolidated with any other orders you may have placed.
- We will prepare your order(s), move them to the front of the store and send you a confirmation email that curbside pickup is ready.

3) Pull up in front of the store.
- We will put your order(s) in your vehicle.

IMPORTANT: Curbside pickup is only available between 11AM and 6PM.

Due to the large number of phone calls we have been receiving and the time it takes to consolidate orders, you do NOT need to phone our store for curbside pickup. If you get the email that your wine is ready for curbside pickup, just pull up in front!

CONTACT US


The Wine House
2311 Cotner Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90064-1877


310.479.3731 or 800.626.9463

(0 for assistance)


wine@winehouse.com


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