This story is from an installment of The Oeno Files , our weekly insider newsletter to the world of fine wine. Sign up here. Those of us who drink Italian wine often gravitate towards the three B’s: Barolo , Brunello , and Bolgheri , the last of which you may recall is the original home of Super Tuscans .
This impressive sounding but unofficial moniker was originally lavished on a group of wines made with grapes that are not native to Tuscany such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot , and Cabernet Franc. One of the first wines to be given the sobriquet was Sassicaia, whose 1968 inaugural vintage was released in 1972 and was classified as a vino de tavola, or table wine, because it fell outside of the regional DOC guidelines. Fans of this plus wines like Masseto, Guado al Tasso, and Tignanello may be surprised to learn that the regulations drawn up for Bolgheri DOC in 1983 only included white wine and rosé; reds were not added until the rules were updated in 1994.
Even more surprising is that exciting white wines from varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc , Chardonnay , and Viognier are made in Bolgheri and throughout Tuscany. Two of the best and most well-known white Super Tuscans, Ornellaia Bianco and Querciabella Bàtar, are vastly different wines; in fact, they don’t even fall into the same denomination. Made with 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc, Ornellaia Bianco 2021 hails from Bolgheri DOC, while Querciabella Bàtar 2020, a 50-50 blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco, is a Tosc.