Fascinating background, thank you. You're correct that I compressed the timeline to make it clearer for the average person (who won't read a 2,000-word blog post because there's too much competing for his/her attention). The emergence of international varieties in Italian wine was certainly a gradual process, although Antinori's inclusion of Cabernet in the 1971 Tignanello was the event that kicked it off. The breakthough vintage for Sassicaia didn't come until 1985, and as late as the early 1990s, Angelo Gaja was still convincing people that Italian wine had a place at the top of the charts as well as at the bottom. It's hard to isolate a tipping point, because we're dealing with diverse consumers in many different markets. But at least you enjoyed your 850-pound lunch ($1100 as of this morning).
I'm not sure that Sassicaia's reputation took off quite as fast as you say. In 1986, I went to Milan and in a wine shop there I was talked into buying a bottle of this then obscure Tuscan red. I do remember that it cost 4000 lira for the 1982 vintage which was about £2, maybe $2.50 at the time? I took it home but upon finally finding a reference to it in a winebook (and it took some searching), I discovered that it was Cabernet Sauvignon which I'm not a fan of. So I never drank it.
Years later, I traded it for lunch for 4 in London's River Cafe. When I handed it over, they immediately checked the punt. My bottle didn't have one which they told me was proof that it was the real thing. Sassicaia only started using expensive bottles with punts from 1983 or 85, a fact that the forgers always got wrong. Anyhow our lunch was great and the £2 I spent on that bottle remains my best wine investment ever. (they later sold it for £850!)
Thank you. I think we've reached the point where the average consumer almost expects an Italian red to taste like Cabernet or Merlot, although they may not be aware of how the trend started. None of this applies to the more obscure regional wines (which are more obscure here because they receive less press).
Here's an example: tourists go to Umbria and drink wines like Torgiano and Montefalco Sagrantino, and think they're amazing. Then they come home and can't find them, and the guy in the local wine shop looks at them cross-eyed when they ask.
Agreed. I've been lucky enough to have it twice (didn't buy it, of course...all good journalists are freeloaders)
Fascinating background, thank you. You're correct that I compressed the timeline to make it clearer for the average person (who won't read a 2,000-word blog post because there's too much competing for his/her attention). The emergence of international varieties in Italian wine was certainly a gradual process, although Antinori's inclusion of Cabernet in the 1971 Tignanello was the event that kicked it off. The breakthough vintage for Sassicaia didn't come until 1985, and as late as the early 1990s, Angelo Gaja was still convincing people that Italian wine had a place at the top of the charts as well as at the bottom. It's hard to isolate a tipping point, because we're dealing with diverse consumers in many different markets. But at least you enjoyed your 850-pound lunch ($1100 as of this morning).
1985 is a legend beyond words
I'm not sure that Sassicaia's reputation took off quite as fast as you say. In 1986, I went to Milan and in a wine shop there I was talked into buying a bottle of this then obscure Tuscan red. I do remember that it cost 4000 lira for the 1982 vintage which was about £2, maybe $2.50 at the time? I took it home but upon finally finding a reference to it in a winebook (and it took some searching), I discovered that it was Cabernet Sauvignon which I'm not a fan of. So I never drank it.
Years later, I traded it for lunch for 4 in London's River Cafe. When I handed it over, they immediately checked the punt. My bottle didn't have one which they told me was proof that it was the real thing. Sassicaia only started using expensive bottles with punts from 1983 or 85, a fact that the forgers always got wrong. Anyhow our lunch was great and the £2 I spent on that bottle remains my best wine investment ever. (they later sold it for £850!)
I appreciate this article
Thank you. I think we've reached the point where the average consumer almost expects an Italian red to taste like Cabernet or Merlot, although they may not be aware of how the trend started. None of this applies to the more obscure regional wines (which are more obscure here because they receive less press).
Here's an example: tourists go to Umbria and drink wines like Torgiano and Montefalco Sagrantino, and think they're amazing. Then they come home and can't find them, and the guy in the local wine shop looks at them cross-eyed when they ask.
Nice overview...👏