Bolgheri vs Bordeaux

Are Bolgheri and Bordeaux really two related worlds? Let us try to compare them in order to understand their similarities and differences.

Bordeaux's 60 appellations can generally be divided into six main families, four of which relate to red wines: the wines of the left bank of the Gironde, those of the right bank of the Dordogne, the Côtes de Bordeaux and the wines of the Bordeaux AOC appellation. On the left bank we find the Médoc, which includes the best known and highly vocated sub-areas of Pauillac, Margaux, Saint-Estèphe and the lesser-known Moulis and Listrac; and the Graves, which includes the sub-area of Pessac-Léognan. This area produces wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon, often blended with Merlot. These wines are concentrated, tannic and suitable for long ageing. It is here that the Grand Cru Classé of the 1855 classification and that of Graves are to be found.

On the other bank, around the city of Libourne, there are ten other appellations, the most important of which are Saint-Émilion and Pomerol, where very concentrated wines with velvety tannins are produced, made from Merlot.

In the Bordeaux AOC appellation, which covers the entire wine-growing region, fruity, good-drinking wines are produced mainly from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes, but Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Carmenère are also used to a lesser extent. These wines are more suited to everyday consumption than to long ageing, while Bordeaux Supérieur, produced in the same area but with more bounding requirements, including a minimum ageing period of 12 months, are richer and more complex wines than the basic Bordeaux.

It was 1944 when Marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta planted the first Cabernet vineyard in Bolgheri, brought directly from Bordeaux in what was then still an area unknown to most. But the Marquis had recognised the similarities between Bolgheri and Bordeaux, thus realising the great potential of this Tuscany bordered by sea and hills. And it is interesting to note how the name Sassicaia, assigned to the wine, recalls 'stones' in Italian, just like Graves in Bordeaux, in relation to the type of terrain.Soon the first vineyard was followed by new plantings of Merlot and the production of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon intensified. Producers from various parts of Italy and the world arrived, making the Bolgheri area one of the jewels in the crown of Italian wine production today.

French varieties thrive very well in Bolgheri thanks to the soil of stones and clay, which is the same as in their birthplace, Bordeaux. The same grapes and soil might lead one to believe that Bolgheri DOC is like an identical expression of Bordeaux, but the Tuscan terroir really makes the difference. Firstly, Bolgheri's climate is obviously Mediterranean, with hot summers and mild winters. The extra warmth and sunlight, compared to a maritime climate, lead to fuller-bodied wines with riper tannins and a higher alcohol content. Wines that nevertheless maintain a good verticality, thanks to the refreshing sea breezes.

Our sommeliers have decided to compare these two worlds, selecting the most representative wines and, as always, the best prices: all that remains for you to do is to enjoy the similarities and differences.

Bolgheri DOC Rosato Caccia al Palazzo 2024 Tenuta di Vaira

Bolgheri DOC Rosso Borgeri 2024 Giorgio Meletti Cavallari

Pauillac AOC Reserve 2023 Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Bolgheri DOC Adèo 2023 Campo alla Sughera

Pauillac AOC 5ème Cru Classé 2021 Château Haut-Bages Libéral

Bolgheri Superiore DOC Millepassi 2021 Donna Olimpia

Pessac-Léognan AOC Le Dauphin d’Olivier Grand Vin de Graves 2020 Chateau Olivier

Haut-Médoc AOC Cru Bourgeois Supérieur 2021 Château Sociando-Mallet

Bolgheri DOC Sassi Sparsi 2023 Rocca delle Macie

Médoc AOC Légende R 2020 Domaines Barons de Rothschild

Bolgheri DOC Zephyro 2024 Campo al Pero

Bordeaux AOC Rouge Légende R 2022 Domaines Barons de Rothschild

Bolgheri DOC Bianco Borgeri 2023 Giorgio Meletti Cavallari

Médoc AOC Cru Bourgeois 2021 Château Le Vieux Fort

Bolgheri DOC Rosso Caccia al Palazzo 2023 Tenuta di Vaira

Margaux AOC Labastide Dauzac 2020 Château Dauzac

Bolgheri DOC Rosso 2022 Casalino

Bordeaux AOC Simone de Malescasse 2024 Château Malescasse

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