A wine of ample aromatic impact with notes of mint, mocha, plums,and spice which follow and fuse with one another in a movement of constant energyand development. On the palate, the tannic texture is exceptionallyfull and silky. A wine of true profundity, length and elegance.
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and occasionally a small amount of Petit Verdot to best represent the complex and elegant terroir found in Bolgheri. This wine has been produced since 1990 from vineyards on alluvial soils whose composition ranges from clay-sand to clay-loam with rocky deposits known as “scheletro”.
96 POINTS JAMES SUCKLING
95 POINTS R.PARKER WINE ADVOCATE
95 POINTS WINE SPECTATOR
95 POINTS ANTONIO GALLONI
94 POINTS FALSTAFF
The 2012 vintage was, on the whole, warmer than the previous one. The early months of the year were marked by a February snowstorm, a very unusual event for the Tuscan coast. Bud-burst took place quite regularly despite the scarce rainfall during the spring and summer. Early September rainfall, fortunately, pushed the ripening of the grapes forward, assisting the achievement of a high quality crop. The 2012 vintage demonstrated, once again, that the Bolgheri production zone can produce excellent wines even in very hot years: the morphology of the territory and the nearby presence of the sea mitigate high summer temperatures and help prevent vine stress that could compromise ripening and proper balance in the grapes.
The Guado al Tasso estate’s most characteristic geographic feature is the Bolgheri Amphitheater, a beautiful plain encircled by rolling hillsides that faces the Tyrrhenian Sea. The shape of the territory creates a unique microclimate with beneficial temperature fluctuations.
The estate’s vineyards are located at the foot of the amphitheater, an optimal position as cold nocturnal breezes cool down the vines. These particular climatic conditions give the grapes pronounced aromas and guarantee a perfect ripening of the berries.
Guado al Tasso added the Antinori family’s historic family crest on the capsules. Guado al Tasso designed a label with the Della Gherardesca family crest and the initials DG as a tribute to the former estate owners.
Maturation: As in everyvintage, the crop is fermented vineyard block byvineyard block and parcel by parcel on the basis of the specific characteristics of each single plot. Fermentation and skin contact lasted for 15-20 daysand were carried out in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. After the wine was run off its skins, the finest lots went directlyinto new, 60 gallon French oak barrels where theyalso were put through a complete malolactic fermentation. Subsequently,afterayear ofaging, the finest lots were blended togetherand aged forafurther six months in oak before bottling.
