Antinori Guado al Tasso Cont' Ugo Bolgheri 2023

Cellar for up to 9 years. No need to decant before serving. The Antinoris are one of Italy’s most famous winemaking families thanks to their magnificent Super Tuscan wine, Tignanello. The family have been making wines since the 13th century and have used their expertise and legacy to found wineries all over the world. Their Guado al Tasso estate is located in the prestigious but small Bolgheri appellation close to the coast of the Upper Maremma. The setting is quite remarkable, with beautiful plains encircled by rolling hills which form a natural amphitheatre and cooling sea breezes which help to moderate temperatures in the vineyard even at the height of summer. These conditions are ideally suited to the Merlot variety which is used for the estate’s Cont’Ugo wine. The grapes grow at an altitude of 45-60 metres on clay loam soils which help to preserve plenty of freshness and aromatics as well as a richly-fruited character. The grapes are harvested by hand and then vinified in stainless steel tanks before being transferred to oak barrels for maturation. The final blend is then made and the wine goes back into barrels for another 12 months of ageing, followed by 3 more months of ageing in the bottle. This creates a powerful yet refined red with luscious dark fruit flavours, smooth tannins, and hints of spice, woodsmoke, and peat on the long finish.