Guado Al Tasso

The Antinori family has been making wine for over six hundred years, since Giovanni di Piero Antinori became part of the Arte Fiorentina dei Vinattieri in 1385. Throughout its long history, spanning 26 generations, the family has always personally managed the business making innovative, sometimes courageous choices, always with unwavering respect for tradition and the land.

Today Marchese Piero Antinori is director of the company, assisted by his three daughters, Albiera, Allegra and Alessia, who are personally involved in the business.

Antinori continually experiment with their vineyards and cellars, with selections of native and international clones, growing methods, vineyard^? altitudes, fermentation^? methods and temperatures, traditional and modern vinification^? techniques, types of wood, size and age of barrels, and various bottle-ageing periods.

50% Cabernet Sauvignon
45% Merlot
5% Syrah

This wine takes its name from a curious fact: at Tenuta^? Guado al Tasso timid badgers are sometimes seen crossing^? the fords in the streams. The estate^? of Tenuta Guado al Tasso is about 80 Km. south-west of Florence near the medieval town of Bolgheri, in Maremma. The 900-hectare^? estate extends down the Tyrrhenian coast to the hills and apart from vineyards, other crops grown here include wheat, corn, sunflowers, olives^?. The vineyards are situated at altitudes between 45 - 60 metres a.s.l. on rocky, slightly limestone soil. The Guado al Tasso wine was made for the first time in 1990.

A rainy autumn and a winter with fairly low average temperatures and some snow, resulted in later development of foliage (12-15 days) than last year. As if to compensate for this delay, favourable spring weather conditions enabled the vines to develop about 10 days earlier than average. The months of June, July and August were unusually cool with average temperatures of 24°C and plenty of rain in August. This created some problems for the ripening process and the subsequent harvest but the grapes harvested were healthy and completely ripe, up to the standard of recent vintage^? years and rich in potential.

The Merlot grapes were harvested in early September while collection of the Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah began in mid-September. After destemming^? and soft^? crushing the two varieties were fermented separately and maceration^? took place in stainless steel vats for 15-20 days. Throughout this period as well as during alcoholic fermentation^?? the temperature never exceeded 30°C. The wine obtained showed rich colour, good structure^?, ripe tannins and no astringent^? sensations. It was then transferred into new 225l. barriques (Alliers & Tronçais), where malolactic fermentation^? was completed by the end of the year.

After racking^??, the wine went back into the barriques, where it aged for about 18 months before bottling. It received a further one year aging period in bottle before its release.

According to the Wine Spectator: Intense^? aromas of blackberry, currant and dried flowers follow through to a full body^?, with sleek, minerally^? undertones and superpolished tannins. This is racy and refined. Reminds one of the 1996 Léoville Las Cases or the estate’s 2000. Made for aging. A more refined, new style^? of Guado. To be released early 2009. Best after 2012.

According to the Wine Advocate: The estate’s flagship wine, the 2005 Guado al Tasso, possesses gorgeous aromatics^? and a core of vibrant, dark fruit framed by finessed tannins. Medium to full-bodied, it shows superb balance^?, particularly in the use of French oak^??. With air, attractive notes of wild herbs, smoke, minerals and sweet toasted oak develop to complete this very pretty^? Guado al Tasso. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2019. Tasting Notes - Intense ruby red colour, very subtle and fragrant aromas with light hints of red berries and stronger sensations of chocolate^? and liquorice. Close-nit, velvety tannins on the palate^? with chocolate, blueberries^? and a hint of vanilla^? in the aftertaste^?. A tangy and lingering wine, complex^? and stylish thanks to the excellent blending of tannins from the wine and the oak.

14.5% alcohol^?, 1.5 gr/l residual^? sugar^?, 0.60 gr/l volatile^? acidity^??, 5.73 gr/l total acidity.

Pheasant^? stew with black olives^?, all red meat^? dishes and seasoned cheeses.

Serving temperature: 18-20°C.

See comments under "Tasting Notes".

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