In the storied cellars of wine collectors worldwide, between precious Bordeaux first growths and rare Burgundian treasures, you’ll find bottles bearing distinctive Italian names: Sassicaia, Ornellaia, Tignanello. These are the Super Tuscans – wines that emerged from rebellion to rewrite the rules of fine wine collecting.

The term “Super Tuscan” might sound like clever marketing, but it represents one of wine’s most fascinating tales of innovation triumphing over convention. In the 1970s, amid Chianti’s rolling hills, a group of maverick winemakers grew increasingly frustrated with Italy’s restrictive wine regulations. These laws dictated precisely which grape varieties could be used in their wines – and notably, prestigious French varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot were not among them.

Rather than compromise their vision, these winemakers chose rebellion. They began crafting wines using forbidden French varieties, knowing full well their creations would be relegated to vino da tavola – simple table wine, the lowest classification in Italy’s wine hierarchy. It was akin to forcing a Ferrari to wear a Fiat badge.

The movement’s roots trace back to the 1940s, when Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta of Tenuta San Guido made an astute observation. The soil of his Tuscan estate bore a striking resemblance to that of Bordeaux’s revered Graves region. This insight led to an audacious experiment: planting Cabernet Sauvignon in Tuscan soil. The resulting wine, Sassicaia, remained a private indulgence shared only with friends for two decades.

The world finally took notice in 1978 at a landmark Decanter magazine tasting. Sassicaia’s 1972 vintage triumphed over 33 prestigious wines from 11 countries, including some of Bordeaux’s finest. This wasn’t just a victory; it was a validation of Italian winemaking ingenuity.

Inspired by this success, the centuries-old Antinori family – stewards of Tuscan wine since the 14th century – embraced the revolution. Their creation, Tignanello, masterfully blended native Sangiovese with Bordeaux varieties, proving that innovation and tradition could coexist magnificently in the same bottle.

Eight Super Tuscans That Define Italian Wine Excellence

Beyond their rebellious origins, these extraordinary wines have evolved into some of the most coveted bottles in any serious collector’s cellar. Here are the legendary labels that should be on every connoisseur’s radar, particularly with the exceptional 2021 vintage being hailed as possibly the finest in two decades.

Sassicaia – Tenuta San Guido

As befitting its position at the apex of Italian winemaking, Sassicaia—whose name elegantly references the stony terrain where its vines flourish (‘sasso’ being Italian for stone)—leads our selection of exceptional Super Tuscans.

The 1985 vintage marked a watershed moment, earning a perfect 100 points from the notoriously exacting Robert Parker, who declared it “the most impressive wine I had encountered in my entire 37-year career.” This legacy of excellence continues unabated—the 2016 and 2021 vintages have achieved similar perfection. The latest release reveals a masterful composition of cassis, blackberries, and violets, artfully complemented by notes of mint, clove, cedar, and subtle woody smoke. On the palate, it presents an exquisite balance of mouthwatering acidity and muscular yet velvety tannins—a structure suggesting decades of cellaring potential.

Such is Sassicaia’s singular status that in December 2013, it was granted its own DOC denomination as ‘Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC’—an unprecedented recognition for a single wine.

Tignanello – Antinori

Piero Antinori’s revolutionary vision gave birth to what he would later describe in his book ‘Tignanello a Tuscan Story’ as the wine that “changed the Italian wine scene forever.” This wasn’t mere hyperbole—Tignanello represents a series of audacious firsts that redefined Italian winemaking: the first contemporary red to blend native Sangiovese with non-traditional varieties, the first in Chianti to eschew white grapes, and the first Sangiovese aged in French barriques of 225 liters.

The wine’s remarkable consistency makes it challenging to identify standout vintages, though recent releases from 2015 onwards have achieved new heights of excellence. Each bottle offers a masterful fusion of Cabernet’s black fruits and Sangiovese’s red fruit purity, enriched by sophisticated notes of tobacco, chocolate, and caramel. The palate presents extraordinary richness and complexity, marked by vibrant tannins that carry through to a seemingly endless finish.

Solaia – Antinori

Like many legendary wines, Solaia—meaning ‘solar’—emerged from serendipity rather than calculation. This exceptional wine, crafted on the same illustrious estate as Tignanello, was born in 1978 when an abundance of exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon from a sun-blessed hillside plot presented an irresistible opportunity. Piero Antinori’s decision to create a new blend dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon proved prescient.

In the intervening years, Solaia has emerged from Tignanello’s shadow to establish itself as the more coveted sibling, commanding higher prices and greater collector demand. For connoisseurs who appreciate the refined power of Bordeaux’s Left Bank, Solaia offers a compelling Italian interpretation that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the world’s finest Cabernet-based wines.

Ornellaia – Tenuta dell’Ornellaia

Since its inaugural 1985 vintage, Ornellaia has exemplified the pinnacle of Italian winemaking excellence. Founded by Marchesi Lodovico Antinori in 1981, this estate benefits from Bolgheri’s privileged coastal terroir, where a unique microclimate mirrors the conditions that have made Bordeaux legendary.

For collectors, Ornellaia offers an additional layer of appeal through its Vandemmia d’Artista project—an inspired fusion of fine wine and contemporary art. Each vintage sees 111 large-format bottles adorned with unique labels created by celebrated artists. Savvy collectors have taken note that even standard 750ml bottles featuring printed versions of these artistic labels have become highly sought after, particularly those released since 2012.

Masseto – Tenuta dell’Ornellaia

In the rarefied world of ultra-premium wines, Masseto stands apart. Critics have exhausted their vocabulary attempting to describe its excellence, while collectors’ fervent pursuit of allocations has elevated it to true cult status. Such is its prestige that in 2019, Masseto warranted its own dedicated 27,000-square-foot winery—a testament to its position among Italy’s most precious vinous treasures.

The wine’s singular character emerges from an extraordinary terroir—a precise composition of rocky, sandy, and clay soils that, while challenging for Cabernet, provides the perfect environment for Merlot to achieve unprecedented excellence. This unique setting imbues the wine with a profile that defies conventional Merlot characteristics—delivering remarkable density, profound structure, extraordinary richness, and impressive tannic backbone rarely associated with the variety.

Having experienced three distinct vintages, one can confidently assert that Masseto stands as the definitive expression of Merlot-based wine, not merely within Tuscany or Italy, but on a global stage.

Redigaffi – Tua Rita

Named for one of Suvereto’s most magnificent religious edifices, Redigaffi maintains a disarmingly humble presence—the estate, acquired in 1984, still retains the charm of a rural family residence. Yet within its bottles lies liquid gold. Just five years after its 1994 debut, Robert Parker declared the 1999 vintage “as close to perfection as a wine can get.” The following year’s release achieved an even greater milestone—Italy’s first perfect 100-point score.

While fellow Merlot-based wine Masseto projects commanding power, Redigaffi captivates through its sublime elegance. In blind tastings focused on Merlot, it consistently emerges as the connoisseur’s choice, a testament to its extraordinary refinement and complexity.

L’Apparita – Castello di Ama

The story of L’Apparita—whose poetic name references the distant Florence skyline visible from its slopes—begins with a bold decision. In 1979, Marco Pallenti made the audacious choice to replace traditional varieties with Merlot in the estate’s highest vineyard. This prescient decision was vindicated when the southwest-facing, clay-rich soil proved ideal for producing world-class Merlot.

In blind tastings, L’Apparita so convincingly channels Right Bank Bordeaux that only the most discerning palates can distinguish it—its hallmark being a characteristic freshness and refined tannin structure that whispers of its Tuscan heritage rather than shouting it.

Messorio – Le Macchiole

When Eugenio Campolmi departed his family’s restaurant business to pursue winemaking in Bolgheri, he embarked on a path less traveled. Rather than following his neighbors’ varietal choices, he planted unconventional varieties, guided by an philosophy of experimentation and deep respect for the land.

The result is Messorio—a Merlot that defies convention. Sourced exclusively from a meticulously managed 2.5-hectare plot, where yields are strictly controlled to 800 grams per plant, this thoroughbred offers a distinctive interpretation of the variety. Here is a wine of unmistakable personality—dense and decisive, offering concentrated ripe fruit and bold aromatics, all supported by opulent yet silky tannins that speak to its exceptional breeding.

Future of Super Tuscan

While these eight wines represent the pinnacle of Super Tuscan achievement, they’re part of a broader renaissance in Tuscan winemaking. Today, Bolgheri alone hosts 85 wineries, with over 1,000 labels across Tuscany carrying forward the innovative spirit that defined the original movement. The exceptional 2021 vintage, combined with an industry-wide shift toward sustainable and biodynamic practices, suggests these wines will continue their upward trajectory in both quality and collectibility. For the discerning collector, the time to secure allocations of these legendary labels is now.