In the 1920s, as a student in Pisa, Marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta already dreamed of creating a "noble" wine. Like most Italian aristocrats of the time, he had a distinct predilection for fine Bordeaux wines. After moving with his wife, Clarice, to their estate in Tenuta San Guido on the Mediterranean coast, he experimented with various French grape varieties. His conclusion was unequivocal: "I found the bouquet I was looking for in Cabernet." A wine with Cabernet Sauvignon as its main component represented a radical shift from the traditional Tuscan and Piedmontese Sangiovese and Nebbiolo varieties. No one had ever considered making a wine using the Bordeaux approach on Italian soil, and certainly not in a region that (until then) had no foothold in the wine world. Aside from the Cabernet Sauvignon's bouquet, the decision to plant this vine at Tenuta San Guido was influenced by the strong similarities between the Tuscan village and the Graves region in Bordeaux. 'Graves' is the French word for 'gravel'. Sassicaia, which means 'stone-strewn ground' in the Tuscan dialect, thus owes its name to the soil conditions of Tenuta San Guido. Each year, a small number of cases were stored in the cellars of Castiglioncello. The Marquis discovered that over the years, the quality of the wine improved dramatically. As is often the case with wines of great provenance, what was initially considered a defect eventually reveals itself to be one of its greatest qualities with the passage of time. Soon, his friends and family urged him to persevere in his passion and further refine this revolutionary style of winemaking. In 1965 he planted two additional vineyards with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Today, Sassicaia is known as one of the most prestigious red wines in all of Italy. Along with Ornellaia from Tenuta dell'Ornellaia, it is the most sought-after wine in Tuscany! A striking detail is that some of Tenuta dell'Ornellaia's vineyards originate from Tenuta San Guido. Tenuta dell'Ornellaia, founded by Ludovico Antinori (brother of Piero Antinori and both cousins of Mario Incisa della Rocchetta), purchased its first vineyards from the Marquis (!). Now world-renowned, Tenuta San Guido is part of the "Primum Familiae Vini" group, which stands for "the best wine families." Other members include Bodegas y Viñedos Vega-Sicilia, Antinori, Château Mouton-Rothschild, and Perrin & Fils from Château de Beaucastel. FACT: The wine is stored in our climate-controlled Wine Warehouse, and if you pick it up, you'll often receive a nice discount. You'll see your discount immediately when you select "Pickup" at checkout. We're located in Dordrecht with ample parking. Click here for our address. This is a 1.5-liter magnum in OWC