Tenuta Guado al Tasso (Antinori) - Bolgheri Cont'Ugo 2022

The Guado al Tasso Estate is located in the prestigious Bolgheri DOC, part of the Tuscan coastal area of Maremma, known for its untamed landscape and unspoiled beauty. Just 60 miles southwest of Florence, it sits on a magnificent plain in the heart of the Bolgheri amphitheater, a natural phenomenon created by hills that embrace the sea and produce a mild and temperate microclimate. Blessed with ample sunshine and constant breezes that take the edge off the summer heat and winter cold, Guado al Tasso is the ideal environment for cultivating healthy vine growth and proper ripening of the estate’s grapes. Inherited from Carlotta della Gherardesca, and revolutionized by Niccoló Antinori, the mother and father of Piero Antinori, Guado al Tasso is a reference point property in the life and history of the family. Here the challenge is to create wines of absolute excellence, always representative of the Bolgheri history, culture, and winemaking traditions.

After the grapes were hand harvested and carefully selected on sorting tables, the berries were transferred into temperature controlled stainless steel vats where alcoholic fermentation and maceration on the skins took place over a period of about 20 days. Fermentation temperatures were adjusted based on the ripeness of the grapes: lower temperatures were chosen, about 25 °C (77 °F), to preserve and enhance aromatic freshness while higher temperatures, up to 30 °C (86 °F), were applied to boost extraction of phenolic compounds and enhance structure. The different lots were separated according to their individual characteristics and then transferred into barriques where malolactic fermentation was completed by the end of the year. The finest lots were blended and transferred back into second fill barriques for an additional 12-month period of aging, then bottled. Cont’Ugo was bottled during the last half of January 2024.

“Distinctly fruity, this red features black cherry, blackberry, plum, licorice, cedar and oak spice aromas and flavors. A supple version, with terrific balance and a long aftertaste. Shows just enough grip to lend serious weight. Merlot.” - 94 Points, Wine Spectator

“Taking on a deep red/magenta hue, the 2022 Cont'Ugo features dusty cedar, fruit leather, baking spice, and fresh earth aromas. Full-bodied, it displays a gamey richness, with chewy tannins and a fleshy quality throughout. A plush texture and a graceful tapering finish complement its weightless feel.” - 92 Points, Jeb Dunnuck

“The 2022 Cont'Ugo, 100% Merlot, offers terrific freshness, especially for the year. There's a bit of edginess in the tannin from the challenges of the growing season. Even so, what comes through most is the move toward greater vibrancy in the wines.” - 91 Points, Vinous

Producer: Tenuta Guado al Tasso (Antinori)

 Country: Italy

Region: Tuscany

Varietal: Merlot

Appellation: Bolgheri

Vintage: 2022

Size: 750ml