Bolgheri – multiple personality disorder?

As I signposted in New sweet white from Ornellaia, Bolgheri grows a mind-boggling range of grape varieties. Finding Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Tannat, Sangiovese and Syrah all planted close to each other might not seem strange in New World regions but is definitely unexpected for somewhere as aristocratic as Tuscany.

Innovation is hardly new to this area, mind. The Bordeaux-blend reds of Sassicaia, Ornellaia and others are in themselves now historical, famed as the pioneering Supertuscans from as far back as the 1960s. The Bolgheri appellation itself, however, is only a stripling at 16 years old, and seems to be...