I recently purchased a 2009 Super Tuscan. After doing some research, this wine is 100% sangiovese . My understanding of what a Super Tuscan should be is that it contain in addition to Italian grapes, non Italian grapes such as merlot and cabernet sauvignon. What am I missing?
Answer From Expert Roger Bohmrich MW
You'll find several other questions about Super-Tuscans which I have answered on the LWE forum. The term began to be used in the 1970s as a catch-all for wines from Tuscany which deviated from the grape formula set out by Italian wine laws. Super-Tuscans came into being with San Guido's "Sassicaia" in 1968. That inaugural vintage was a blend of two French grapes: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc. Since the blend did not conform to existing rules, the wine was only allowed to be labeled as a simple Vino da Tavola. Now considered one of Italy's very finest and most sought-after red wines, Sassicaia not only engendered the adoption of the term Super-Tuscan for similar renegades from the strict confines of Italian regulations; it also eventually resulted in the creation of a new denomination, D.O.C. Bolgheri Sassicaia. The reality is that the term Super-Tuscan remains very confusing and, frankly, poorly defined. The designation may refer to many qualities of wine from quite basic to, more commonly, the very highest level as well as to many possible combinations of grapes. There are examples which are entirely Sangiovese while others exclude Sangiovese and focus on varieties of Bordeaux origin. Some combine Italian and French grapes. To understand the diversity of Super-Tuscans, you really need a spreadsheet listing all Tuscan producers which shows the formula each one has chosen to adopt.
