Quick answer Super Tuscans are Tuscan wines that broke with traditional appellation rules, often using grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, and were first sold as simple table wine. Tignanello and Sassicaia are the most famous.
Few categories show so clearly how a wine can become great before the law catches up. Super Tuscans began as rebellious bottles and ended up among Italy’s most collected wines.
Key takeaways
- Super Tuscan has no official legal definition.
- Early examples were labelled vino da tavola because they did not fit appellation rules.
- Tignanello, Sassicaia and Tegolato are all credited with the category’s origins.
What is a Super Tuscan?
Decanter notes that Super Tuscans have no official definition. They are widely understood as Tuscan wines made from permitted grape varieties, including international ones, usually aged in French barrels, and labelled under the regional IGT Toscana umbrella.
Why were the first Super Tuscans sold as table wine?
Marchese Piero Antinori made Tignanello in 1971 as a 100% Sangiovese, which Chianti Classico rules at the time did not allow, so it could not carry that appellation; Cabernet Sauvignon was added from 1975. Sassicaia was a Cabernet Sauvignon made by Antinori’s uncle, Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, in the Alta Maremma, where no appellation existed at the time. Both were labelled vino da tavola.
Who made the first Super Tuscan?
Decanter says the birth of Super Tuscans is considered shared among Tignanello, Sassicaia and Tegolato (Castello di Poppiano, 1962). Vigorello (Agricola San Felice, 1969) is also named among the category’s origins.
What is the link with Bolgheri?
Decanter says Super Tuscans helped establish denominations such as Bolgheri. If you like the style, explore the Tuscan wines in our selection, including bottles from Bolgheri.
Tuscan bottles available now
Frequently asked questions
Is Super Tuscan an official wine category?
No. Super Tuscan has no official legal definition; it is a term used for Tuscan wines made outside traditional rules.
What was the first Super Tuscan?
The origin is shared among Tignanello, Sassicaia and Tegolato, according to Decanter.
When was Tignanello first made?
Marchese Piero Antinori first made Tignanello in 1971, labelled as vino da tavola.
What grapes are used in Super Tuscans?
Permitted grape varieties including international ones such as Cabernet Sauvignon, often aged in French barrels.
Why was Sassicaia labelled vino da tavola?
Because it came from the Alta Maremma, where no appellation existed at the time.
Sources
- Decanter — SuperTuscans at 50 — Origins of Tignanello, Sassicaia, Tegolato and the lack of an official definition.
Last reviewed: October 2026.
Explore our wine selection
Rare and collectible bottles, filterable by country, region, producer and vintage.