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Bolgheri
Bolgheri lies on the Tuscan coast, south of Livorno. This is where the first wines of cabernet sauvignon and merlot on Italian soil appeared from the 1960s onwards.
Our range includes wines from Bolgheri by producers including Sassicaia, Ornellaia, Le Macchiole and Gaja. If you would like to explore Tuscany further, you will also find Super Tuscan, Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti Classico in our range.
Grapes and style
Bolgheri is known above all for Bordeaux-style red wines, made from cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc and often a little petit verdot or syrah. Sangiovese plays a smaller role here than elsewhere in Tuscany. The wines have a dark colour, ripe black fruit, spices, Mediterranean notes and an elegant, polished tannin. They are generally warmer and fuller than the Bordeaux wines with which they are compared. Besides red, there are also white wines and rosé, made from vermentino among others.
Location and soil
Bolgheri lies in the Maremma, on the Tyrrhenian coast of Tuscany, near the town of Castagneto Carducci. The climate is Mediterranean: warm, sunny and tempered by the sea breeze. This differs greatly from the interior around Chianti. The soil varies from sandy and gravelly ground close to the sea to clay, limestone and stony subsoil higher up in the hills. This variation explains why the wines can range from fine and fragrant to powerful and concentrated. The avenue of cypresses leading to the village is a well-known sight.
Classification and rules
Bolgheri has a DOC of its own, with separate rules for rosso, rosato and bianco, and the Bolgheri Superiore version, which ages for longer. In addition, the famous wine Sassicaia has its own designation within this area. Many wines from the region began as Super Tuscans under a lower classification, because they fell outside the existing rules. Only later did the region receive its own appellation, which emphasises the international grapes.
Ageing and serving
Bolgheri wines often age in French oak barriques and are built for longer keeping, with the best able to last several decades. Young wines benefit from decanting. Serve them at 16 to 18 °C. They go well with grilled red meat, rack of lamb, game, Tuscan stews and mature hard cheese.
Producers in our range
These producers feature in our Bolgheri range: Sassicaia, Tenuta dell'Ornellaia (Ornellaia and Le Serre Nuove), Le Macchiole (Messorio and Paleo) and Gaja (Ca'Marcanda).
More from Tuscany
You will find more wines from Tuscany under Super Tuscan, Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti Classico.