Vermentino

Bolgheri

The birthplace of cult wine Sassicaia and the "Super Tuscan" movement, Bolgheri DOC is a fascinating recent addition to Italian wine history. For fans of silky Bordeaux-style reds, Bolgheri's nonconformist blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Sangiovese are second to none. Lying in a coastal area of central Tuscany called Alta Maremma (which was swampland until it was drained in the 1930s), Bolgheri's sloping, gravelly terroir is quite distinct from the Chianti hills. A local winemaker planted Bordeaux grapes here after WWII, and in 1978 his Sassicaia won first place at a blind tasting of Bordeaux wines. The rest is history. Bolgheri's Vermentino-based whites, while less famous, are also well worth seeking out. The DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) designation for Italian wines was introduced in the 1960s. It is the main classification system used in the country and regulates what winemakers can and cannot do regarding wine style, varietal restrictions, minimum and maximum alcohol levels, aging techniques and growing regions.