Bolgheri DOC celebrating 30 years of success at the ”Cena dei Mille” and the En Primeur 2022

The magic of the iconic “ Dinner of a Thousand” along the Viale dei Cipressi reminiscent of Carducci’s poem, has once again been exquisitely recreated. The Bolgheri Consortium organized the elegant dinner recently (the first edition in 2019 for the first 25 years of Bolgheri and Bolgheri Sassicaia denominations, 3rd edition this year, celebrating 30 years of history and successes, as our video on WineNews narrates). The dinner was served on a one-kilometer-long table, and the illuminated cypress trees framed an emotionally engaging and perfectly synchronized candlelit dinner. Dinner was served to more than a thousand guests who came from all over the world to celebrate the enchantment of Bolgheri. The territory was created from “scratch”, so to speak, thanks to Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, “father” of the worldwide famous Sassicaia, and his poetic interpretation of the marine light that ripples the hills, woods and vineyards.
Bolgheri is one of the most prestigious wine territories in the world. In 1874, Giosuè Carducci, the Italian poet, had perceived the poetry of the territory that is inextricably linked to the poet, who sang the beauty of nature, and the first Italian to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1906. The Viale dei Cipressi is the symbol of the territory. It is an Italian National monument, commissioned in the 19th century by Count Guido Alberto della Gherardesca, responsible for the choice of cypresses that are beautiful, but there was a practical side, motivated by the fact that buffalo ate all the other plants. Carducci's verses in his poem, "Davanti San Guido" have made this the most famous “Viale” in the world. Then the wine and the people that created it, obviously, made Bolgheri a story of success and value that contributed to the renaissance of Italian wine, and being on the topmost International wine markets. The global success of Bolgheri is no mystery. y. Sassicaia of Tenuta San Guido, Masseto and Ornellaia of the two Frescobaldi Group Estates, Guado al Tasso of the Tenuta della Marchesi Antinori, Messorio and Paleo of Le Macchiole, Argentiera of Tenuta Argentiera, Ca Marcanda of Gaja and Grattamacco of the ColleMassari Group, are some of the great masterpieces of the wines created in Bolgheri. Moreover, these wines are consistently among the 1.000 most sought-after wines in the world, according to Wine-Searcher, some of the most quoted wines at auctions and among the most valued and traded on the secondary market, on the benchmark sector, namely the English platform, Liv-Ex.
The denomination generates some of the highest values in Italy. The average value per bottle at origin is 21.00 euros, the annual value of production at origin is 150 million euros, thanks to the 1.365 hectares of vineyards registered DOC (1.544 hectares in total, and 40% are organic). The average annual production is 7.000.000 bottles: 64% are Bolgheri Rosso, 19% Bolgheri Superiore (and Bolgheri Sassicaia), 12% Bolgheri Vermentino and Bolgheri Bianco and 5% Bolgheri Rosato. The average age of the vines is 16.7 years, and the vineyards are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon (34%), Merlot (22%), Cabernet Franc (16%), Vermentino (10%), Syrah (6.5%), Petit Verdot (5%), Viognier (1.5%), Sauvignon Blanc (1%), Sangiovese (1%). The “Dinner of a Thousand” along the Viale dei Cipressi, acknowledges this value and its various facets, essential to the landscape that hosts it. At the festive table (directed by Scaramuzzi Team , and Guido Guidi of Florence), the top wines of the Consortium’s wineries were served, including some historic vintages, and shared by the 1.200 guests, which included producers, representatives of local and National institutions, celebrities, industry professionals and journalists.
The day before the dinner, journalists were invited to taste - at the Teatrino del Borgo di San Guido - Bolgheri Superiore 2022 En Primeur, on sale starting January 1, 2025. Thirty-nine companies participated and 43 wines were tasted, 17 of which were barrel samples. 2022 was distinguished by an exceptional drought period that began at the end of winter and continued well into the summer. The decisive turning point came in midAugust, when the first of a series of providential storms occurred during the most crucial period of grape ripening. According to the Consortium's analysis, “the Bolgheri varieties have demonstrated that they react very positively, resisting to the initial lack of water while instead metabolizing the rains as best and as quickly as possible, ultimately allowing for optimal ripening, especially for the less precocious varieties. The harvest started early, around the third week of August, and ended at the end of September”.
Contrary to predictions, the wines show clearly perceptible alcohol levels, which are typical of a hot and dry year. However, this is compensated by a strong acid backbone and good level extractions as well as the presence of decisive, but fine, tasty and well-integrated tannins, the result of optimal ripening of the grape bunches. The result in the glass is Bolgheri Superiore 2022, maintaining the distinct freshness and elegance that the wines of the denomination have consistently demonstrated for many years. WineNews participated at the En Primeur, and as per tradition, selected the best tastings of the tasting.

Poggio al Tesoro, Bolgheri Superiore Sondraia 2022 - barrique sample
Reserved nose that then concedes aromas of cherry, camellia with hints of iodine; mineral sip with savory tannins and long balsamic finish.

Campo al Mare, Bolgheri Superiore Baia al Vento 2022 - tank sample
Sweet aromas of plum jam and clove on the nose, which however also bring out the typical tomato leaf; firm, spicy grip in the mouth, salty chocolate finish.

Fornacelle, Bolgheri Superiore Foglio 38 2022 - tank sample
Wide, relaxed and deep nose, perfumed with goudron, sweet bell pepper and fresh spices; in the mouth it gains grip and a nice interplay between vegetal and fruity character and lingers intense.

La Cipriana, Bolgheri Superiore San Martino 2022 - tank sample
Hematic and rocky on the nose, with clean aromas of tamarind and cherry, which also return in the mouth; the sip is fresh and flowing, savory and slightly bitter in the citrusy, mentholated finish.

Tenuta Meraviglia, Bolgheri Superiore Maestro di Cava 2022 - tank sample
Dense, warm wine that brings out the violet nose, to which is added cherry and something vinous; the sip has central, savory grip, acid plug and lots of peppery red fruit on the finish.

Argentiera, Bolgheri Superiore Argentiera 2022
It has something of the sea on the nose, with notes of cherry and Mediterranean scrub; in the mouth it has good savory grip, then floral smoothness that keep alcoholic exuberance at bay.

Grattamacco, Bolgheri Superiore Grattamacco 2022
Sweet aromas of pomegranate and vanilla, cherry and cocoa and finally spearmint to balance; the sip is iodized, velvety and textural, and on the finish adds tomato leaf and violet to the initial scents.

I Luoghi, Bolgheri Superiore Campo al Fico 2022
Maremma balsams and cherry, with a touch of blood orange also returning to the sip; textural and grippy on the onset, it then flows iodine and citrus, closing on notes of cypress and plum.

Michele Satta, Bolgheri Superiore Piastraia 2022
A clear, delicate wine in its warmth and aromas of strawberry, goudron and herbs; the sip is also gentle, though firm, savory and meaty, closing with spicy touches and candy violet.

Orma, Bolgheri Superiore Aola di Orma 2022
Dark, deep nose with thorny sweetness of small berries and woody balsams; mouthfeel has vegetal character, savory grip and peppery warmth, closes intense with pomegranate and spice.

Ornellaia, Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia 2022
Satiny in the glass, it tastes of cherry, cocoa and rosemary flowers; the sip has firm grip, peppery savoriness and an acid vein that dilutes the heat, closing long on cherry, goudron and bell bell pepper.

Guado al Tasso, Bolgheri Superiore Guado al Tasso 2022
Fleshy and iodized, it smells of underbrush, cherry, peach and dried flowers, which return with coherence to the sip, imprinted by firm tannins, then diffused by the advancing citrus and menthol freshness.