Guado Al Tasso, Bolgheri 2021

The 2021 Bolgheri Superiore Guado al Tasso is a very beautiful wine, but also quite a departure from the style that made it famous years ago. Readers will find an especially polished Guado al Tasso, a wine that emphasizes finesse more than power. Silky tannins wrap around a core of black cherry fruit, licorice, spice, mocha and new leather. Bright, saline undertones extend the exquisite finish. There's more Cabernet Franc in the blend these days, and that very much comes through in the wine's crazy aromatic presence and feel. The 2021 spent 16 months in wood, three months in used French oak barrels during the malolactic fermentation and then 14 months in barrel (80% new) for the rest of its aging. Gorgeous.

This is really well crafted, with ultra-fine tannins that spread across the palate. It’s medium-bodied with a balance of currant, dark chocolate and hazelnut character. It’s so long and persistent, with gorgeous sophistication and unctuousness at the finish. Extremely well done. Drinkable now, but event better in two or three years.

There's a beautiful coolness here, with black and blue fruits mingling with powerful balsam and menthol, sous bois and damp earth. Slick and glossy, vertical and tight, it's still very tightly coiled and demands time in the bottle. Bright acidity pierces through, and ripe forest berries emerge on the finish. So good.

An inky red/purple color, the 2021 Cont'Ugo offers a gorgeous nose with pure, ripe aromas of red apple skin, vanilla bean, mocha, sweet tobacco, and sandalwood. On the palate, it’s full-bodied and ample, with very nice mouthwatering acidity and mineral undercurrents despite having such plushness of fruit. Delicate notes of dark chocolate on the finish balance this out nicely and add lift to this pillowy wine. It’s approachable now but will benefit from time to show off its more Mediterranean notes and will provide an ample drinking window over the next 15 or more years.

The Marchesi Antinori 2021 Bolgheri Superiore Guado al Tasso is 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot and 29% Cabernet Franc from a hot year that also benefited from better underground water reserves because 2020 actually saw quite a bit of rain in Bolgheri and that moisture carried over. This wine is all forward thrust as a result, with a determined mouthfeel pushed over the palate thanks to plummy fruit, baked blackberry and sweet spice. The wine gracefully adds a spot of much-needed minerality that adds to the sensations of freshness. There is even some mint that livens up the mouthfeel.