Tenuta San Guido is named after the Saint Guido della Gherardesca who lived during the 11th century. It is located on the Tyrrhenian coast, between Leghorn and Grosseto, in Maremma an area made famous by Italian Nobel prize winner Giosuè Carducci, and it stretches for 13 km from the sea to the hills.
It has three defining characteristics: Sassicaia wine, Razza Dormello-Olgiata thoroughbred studfarm and the Bird Sanctuary Padule di Bolgheri. They divide the estate between the Padule on the coast, the horse’s training grounds on the plain, and the vineyards planted up to 350 meters on the hills. The latter have been given their own DOC, the DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia, the first and so far only case in Italy of a DOC contained in one estate.
Founders Mario and Clarice shared a love for thoroughbred horses that made them form a partnership with horse breeder and trainer Federico Tesio. Mario Incisa’s love of good wine had him planting Cabernet vines in 1942 for what was to become Sassicaia. Seventeen years later, the Bolgheri Bird Sanctuary became Italy’s first private nature preserve.
Vineyards
The vineyards of Tenuta San Guido cover approximately 90 hectares and are divided into areas chosen for the particular characteristics of both exposure and composition of the soil.
Some of the vines are planted on the hillside, at an altitude ranging from 200 to 300 meters above sea level. For example, the vineyards of San Martino and Mandrioli are close to the hills in the central area of the estate, while the remaining are located lower at an altitude of about 80 meters above sea level.
Climate is crucial for a correct and healthy maturation of the grapes. It is influenced by the sea and by the hills that shelter the estate from the inland winds.
The location of vineyards in different areas and elevation is an important factor in the complexity of the wines, and provides a wide choice for the harvest, depending on the weather conditions and the maturation of the grapes. This was recently proved in a study by the University of Pisa that highlighted the uniqueness of the vineyards of Tenuta San Guido by soil type and exposure, compared to the surrounding area.
The vineyards produce about 55-60 quintals (5500-6000 kg) per hectare. The farming system and the low yield of grapes per vine, give a product that is healthy and rich in sugar, tannin and extract.
