Bolgheri unveils the latest vintages of its excellent wines on the world famous Viale dei Cipressi

Bolgheri wines are among the highest quoted at auctions and traded on the secondary market of Liv-Ex. They are truly cult bottles for collectors, not only for special toasts on special occasions, but an investment as well. Bolgheri’s wines, Sassicaia of Tenuta San Guido, Masseto and Ornellaia of the two Frescobaldi Group Estates, Guado al Tasso of the Marchesi Antinori Estate, Messorio and Paleo of Le Macchiole, Argentiera of Tenuta Argentiera, Ca Marcanda of Gaja and Grattamacco of the ColleMassari Group, are consistently among the 1.000 most sought-after fine wines in the world, according to Wine-Searcher. They have definitely contributed to the image and value of the entire denomination, and to making it one of the great wine territories in the world. Furthermore, the value of its vineyards is growing. According to WineNews estimates, one hectare is now worth almost 1 million euros. Bolgheri is a territory of freedom and experimentation, based on the great Bordeaux varieties, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc - and also Petit Verdot - and a case history of a success story. It’s famous “ founding fathers”, namely Nicolò Incisa della Rocchetta, Lodovico Antinori, Piero Antinori, Pier Mario Meletti Cavallari, Eugenio Campolmi and Michele Satta, who created, practically from scratch, large companies, have sparked a territory that has given a powerful impulse to the modern “renaissance” of Italian wine, cultivated by the work of many other “native” producers. Over the years, many other entrepreneurs have invested, from the wine world, and more, won over by the charm and success of this small, excellent wine enclave, nestled between the hills of Alta Maremma and the Tyrrhenian Sea. Bolgheri is indelibly distinguished by the famous Viale dei Cipressi, created by the historic Della Gherardesca family (and today, Gaddo Della Gherardesca is on the front line, and a testimonial for the territory also as a producer, together with the partnership of Prosit, ed.), and immortalized by the verses of the Italian poet-writer and Nobel Prize winner in 1906 for Literature, Giosuè Carducci.
Therefore, in Bolgheri, on September 4th, the ritual of the Consortium producers of DOC Bolgheri and DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia wines will be renewed in the exclusive and picturesque“ Cena dei Mille” (strictly by personal invitation of the member winemakers for 1.200 guests at a very long table- more than 1 kilometer - the sponsorship of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Tuscany Region, and the creation of Scaramuzzi Team, the menu created by Guido Guidi of Florence, and the scenic sculptures of Andrea Roggi).
The special occasion is “Bolgheri DiVino” 2024, the event which this year celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Denomination. It will present the most recent vintages of Bolgheri Superiore 2021 and Bolgheri Rosso 2022, while awaiting the release of the first samples of the 2023 vintage in September. “This stupendous event”, Albiera Antinori, at the helm of the Consortium (following years of Federico Zileri dal Verme’s presidency, head of Castello di Bolgheri, who has given so much to the denomination over the years, ed.), said, “in addition to the quality of our wines, summarizes the producers’ solidarity and unity of purpose and a team spirit that has led this small territory to excel at a global level together with the top areas around the world”.
This year, Bolgheri Superiore 2021 and Bolgheri Rosso 2022 were released. The 2021 vintage was, without a doubt, one of the greatest in the history of Bolgheri, allowing the unique depth, finesse and elegance of the territory to be perfectly articulated. . The 2022 Bolgheri Rosso wines reveal not excessive alcohol levels and excellent levels of acidity, guaranteeing the typical freshness of the denomination. The first samples of the 2023 vintage of Bolgheri Rosso will be released in September. The producers are very satisfied with the balance and harmony that has been achieved. In 2023, the 74 wine producers in the Consortium, whose vineyards cover 99% of the total 1.365 hectares, while almost all the companies in the area carry out all the production phases, from vineyard to bottling, produced 6.7 million bottles. It will be an opportunity for the Bolgheri brands to meet collectors, wine merchants and the media, also at their Estates. Private events, by invitation only, have been organized by Ornellaia, Lamberto Frescobaldi, at the helm of the Group (a smart casual “barbecue dinner” in the gardens of the Estate), the Moretti Cuseri family, in the Orma vineyard (hosting the Master Pizza Chef, Franco Pepe, for a tasting of gourmet pizza and historic vintages of Orma), Caccia Al Piano of the Franciacorta Ziliani family (a visit to the contemporary art exhibition “Terre Rare” on the connection between the languages of art and the winemaking process), Tenuta Argentiera, celebrating its 25th anniversary (a sensory experience of wine, the music of Saturnino, one of the greatest Italian bass players and historic collaborator of Jovanotti, and the artisanal typography of Martina Vincenti, aka La Tipografia Toscana, which will stage the magical printing process), and Marilisa Allegrini in Poggio al Tesoro (a walk through the vineyards of the Estate, and a tasting by the sea in the legendary starred restaurant of the young and talented Andrea and Daniele Zazzeri, “La Pineta”). And, there is more. Even though the territory of the denomination is very limited, the producers (including from other territories and other “worlds”, such as the Chiantigiano, Giovanni Folonari, the Argentine, Alejandro Pedro Bulgheroni of Tenuta Meraviglia and Tenuta Le Colonne, the entrepreneur, Antonio Capaldo of Campo alle Comete, the German family Knauf, of Campo alla Sughera, the Chiantigiano, San Felice, of Bell’Aia, the Beretta family’s recent purchase of Fabio Motta, just to name a few), have enhanced the many facets of the territory to the fullest, and in just a few years, Bolgheri wines have taken a place among the most appreciated by critics and the global market. They boast the highest average denomination value in Italy, and the territory is a dream destination for wine enthusiasts all over the world.