Giacomo Tachis, Italian Enology, Died at 82

Giacomo Tachis was born on November 4, 1933, in Poirino, Piedmont and died on February 6, 2016.

He was an Italian Enology.

He was best known as the father of Super Tuscan wines.

Giacomo has been credited for the beginning of the Italy’s wine renaissance.

In 1954, he graduated from the Enological School of Alba, and in 1961, he was chosen as the junior Enology at Antinori’s San Casciano in Val di Pesa cellars in Tuscany.

He soon rose to the role of technical director, and his commitment with Antinori eventually lasted 32 years.

Over the years, Tachis has collaborated on creating new genres of Italian red wine, notably Sassicaia, Solaia and Tignanello (known as the “SuperTuscans”), San Leonardo and Turriga.

He made innovative choices for his time, such as exceeding the area specification for Chianti Classico, using the malolactic fermentation and using barriques for the aging periods, so that the barrique “became one of the symbols of the Italian wine renaissance”.

Also, he created, supported and collaborated to the production of several other wines, including the Sardinian Vermentino and Carrignano, the Sicilian Nero d’Avola, Inzolia, Cataratto and Grillo, the Piedmontese Barbera and Nebbiolo, Lambrusco from Reggio Emilia and Sangiovese from Tuscany.

He officially retired in April 2010, but still continued to consult; the same year he published his autobiography, Sapore di vino.

The magazine Decanter named Tachis as their “Man of the Year, in 2011.

Giacomo Tachis passed away at 82 yrs old.