If you have dabbled in wine long enough as an avid lover of the grape it probably wasn't too long into your journey that you stumbled across the beast of Italy. Italy is one of the most prolific and important producers of wine in the world. This is for a few reasons: history and diversity. Anyone that knows anything about Italian, largely Roman, culture and history knows how much importance has been put on to wine and food over the centuries - this should be common pub-quiz knowledge. It is the diversity that is less known to many lovers of wine, or Italy for that fact. Italy has the most indigenous grape varietals than any other country, totaling over 280 known to man.
One of the most important producers of wine in Italy over the last 40-50 years is Tenuta San Guido of Tuscany's Bolgheri region. It is the famed wine of Sassacaia on which they produce which started the league of Super Tuscans and help bring Italian wine into the wine world's psyche. It was the release of the likes of Sassacaia, and its brothers-in-arms, which opened the eyes to serious wine critics and lovers the world over as to what Italy could produce. Even just 40 years ago many thought of Italy as nothing but watered down white wines or very basic Chianti wines.
Now, Tenuta San Guido have teamed up with leading Sardinian winemaker: Sebastiano Rosa of Cantina Santadi (we also have their wines available here). Just like Sassacaia, the two red wines: Barrua and Montessu are made from the famed French grapes Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. The only difference being is that where Sassacaia had a peppering of Sangiovese to give it a Tuscan flame, they both have Carginan at the heart of their blends. Barrua devotes 85% and Montessu 60%.
