Antinori's Guado al Tasso: The superstar year after year!

Always at the top! Now the Antinori Bolgheri Superiore Guado al Tasso 2018 has once again achieved a super score! This can rightfully be called a SuperTuscan. Everything falls into place with this wine!

This season, some rain fell just before the harvest. That extra moisture rolled down from the hills of the Chianti Classico region and disappeared into the ground without effect. However, it lingered longer in the thicker, flatter soils of Guado al Tasso. For this reason, one of the estate's top wines, the Cabernet Franc-based Matarocchio, was not produced in 2018. This was out of fear that the fruit would not provide the concentration required for a wine of such importance. Instead, the best of that fruit was used in this wine. For that reason, the Antinori Bolgheri Superiore Guado al Tasso 2018 features slightly more Cabernet Franc (approximately 22% of the blend), less Merlot, while the remainder is naturally Cabernet Sauvignon (approximately 60%).

New Style

The percentage of Cabernet Franc has been deliberately increased over the years to give the Antinori Bolgheri Superiore Guado al Tasso 2018 a more focused and sharper bouquet. Aromas of dark fruit and freshly ground white pepper replace the simpler cherry-based flavors of the Merlot grape. As a result, the wine appears more elevated and precise. The Cabernet Sauvignon contributes spices and licorice. These beautiful aromas are also given more breathing room. Linearity, sharpness, pencil shavings, and dark currant or blackberry. This is the direction Guado al Tasso is taking, and this 2018 vintage opens the door to a new chapter for the wine.

Each vineyard plot is fermented separately to preserve the identity of the variety. The appearance of the wine is dark and opulent with rich extraction and a vibrant dark garnet hue. Generous aromas of dark fruit, tobacco, and chocolate steadily rise from the glass. The mouthfeel is soft, creamy, and yielding, with a great sense of tannin persistence that holds up the finish, which can be counted in many long minutes. 

Give this wine at least five years or longer to fully develop. Keeps until 2035 in a good cellar. This wine never, ever disappoints. Once tasted, every wine lover is sold! A must with a beautifully grilled piece of meat from the Big Green Egg. Serve with sautéed endive or Grilled bell peppers deglazed with some Aceto Balsamico. 

Guado al Tasso's amphitheatre

What makes this wine so special? It actually lies specifically in the location of the vineyards. The most characteristic geographical feature of the Guado al Tasso estate is the Bolgheri Amphitheater, a beautiful plain surrounded by rolling hills overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. The shape of the territory creates a unique microclimate with favorable temperature fluctuations. The estate's vineyards are situated at the foot of the amphitheater, an optimal position because a cold night breeze cools the vines. These special climatic conditions give the grapes pronounced aromas and guarantee perfect ripening of the berries.

Try the slightly more affordable ones as well Insoglio van Antinori!