Region: Bolgheri
The story of Bolgheri (and of the term Super Tuscans) begins with a single visionary: Mario Incisa della Rocchetta. In the 1940s, he planted the first Cabernet Sauvignon vines around the town of Bolgheri. The reason for planting this unconventional (in Italy) grape variety was mainly to be able to make wines similar to Médoc wines from France. When the wines turned out really well, Cabernet Franc was added.
View over the Bolgheri vineyards and coastline
In 1968, the first bottles of this wine hit the market as "Sassicaia" (sometimes misspelled as "Sassiscaia"). Because it did not come from a traditional wine region and because of the grape varieties used, this wine could only be labeled 'Vino da Tavola' or table wine, the lowest in the Italian wine classification. However, in the mid 70's the wine was already famous world wide. Clearly, the wine didn't fit the classification system. Or, put differently, the classification system didn't fit the wine.
In the 80's Antinori started a similar effort which resulted in Ornellaia, made from a similar blend. This wine also proved itself extremely well.
The Ornellaia vineyards
Sassicaia was one of the first "Super Tuscans": The concept of making the best wine possible, regardless of the legislation of an official DOC. Many wineries in Tuscany now make a Super Tuscan which can only be called 'Vino da Tavola' or I.G.T. at its best. They don't care, as so many wineries do this that it sometimes seems better to put 'I.G.T.' on the label than the official DOC name: I.G.T. wines often sell at high prices.
Finally, the classification system was changed in 1992 to include Bolgheri as a DOC. Sassicaia was honored with its own DOC: Bolgheri Sassicaia.
| Tenuta San Guido | 2 wines out of 5 are from Bolgheri |
| Tenuta dell'Ornellaia | 2 wines out of 7 are from Bolgheri |
| Tenuta Guado al Tasso (Antinori) | 7 wines out of 8 are from Bolgheri |
| Le Macchiole | 7 wines out of 11 are from Bolgheri |
| Grattamacco | 6 wines out of 6 are from Bolgheri |
| Il Pino di Biserno (Campo di Sasso) | 1 wine out of 1 are from Bolgheri |
| Michele Satta | 6 wines out of 7 are from Bolgheri |
| Castello di Bolgheri | 2 wines out of 2 are from Bolgheri |
| Poggio al Tesoro | 2 wines out of 4 are from Bolgheri |
| Ca' Marcanda (Gaja) | 1 wine out of 7 are from Bolgheri |
| Podere Sapaio | 3 wines out of 3 are from Bolgheri |
| Tua Rita | 1 wine out of 8 are from Bolgheri |
| Orma | 1 wine out of 1 are from Bolgheri |
| I Greppi | 2 wines out of 2 are from Bolgheri |
| Campo Al Mare | 3 wines out of 5 are from Bolgheri |
| Campo alla Sughera | 2 wines out of 3 are from Bolgheri |
| Enrico Santini | 3 wines out of 3 are from Bolgheri |
| San Martino | 2 wines out of 5 are from Bolgheri |
| Podere Guado al Melo | 1 wine out of 1 are from Bolgheri |
| Giorgio Meletti Cavallari | 2 wines out of 2 are from Bolgheri |
| Guicciardini Strozzi | 2 wines out of 12 are from Bolgheri |
| Azienda Agricola Le Grascete | 1 wine out of 1 are from Bolgheri |
| Caccia al Piano | 2 wines out of 4 are from Bolgheri |
| Kirkland Signature | 2 wines out of 41 are from Bolgheri |
| Castagneto Carducci | 2 wines out of 2 are from Bolgheri |
| Micheletti | 2 wines out of 3 are from Bolgheri |
| Tringali-Casanuova | 1 wine out of 1 are from Bolgheri |
| Poggio alle Querce | 1 wine out of 1 are from Bolgheri |
| Aia Vecchia | 1 wine out of 4 are from Bolgheri |
| Cipriana | 1 wine out of 1 are from Bolgheri |
| Felciatello | 2 wines out of 2 are from Bolgheri |
| Poggio Argentiera | 3 wines out of 10 are from Bolgheri |
| S. Dolberto | 1 wine out of 1 are from Bolgheri |
| Fattoria Casa di Terra | 2 wines out of 2 are from Bolgheri |
| Tenuta Argenteria | 1 wine out of 1 are from Bolgheri |
| Contessa Franca Spalletti | 1 wine out of 1 are from Bolgheri |
| Fattoria Fichino | 1 wine out of 1 are from Bolgheri |
| Poderi Greppi Cupi | 1 wine out of 1 are from Bolgheri |
| Rosso di Toscana | 1 wine out of 8 are from Bolgheri |
| Tenuta Cipriana | 1 wine out of 1 are from Bolgheri |
| Tenuta Friggiali (Centolani) | 1 wine out of 8 are from Bolgheri |
| Tenute di Ambrogio e Giovanni Folonari | 1 wine out of 3 are from Bolgheri |
| Walter Alfeo | 2 wines out of 4 are from Bolgheri |