2011 Guado al Tasso

57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot. Blackish ruby. Sweet and evolved with a little torrefaction and some fine tannins in evidence. A little sweet heat on the end. Tea-leaf flavours. (JR)

Odd vintage (especially in Chianti Classico). Rather a cool vintage until August when it was suddenly hot. Luminous healthy crimson. Putty and minerals on the nose – most attractive fragrance. Very sweet and lively. And still thick and embryonic. Still pretty dense. (JR)

Forever the superstar, the 2011 Bolgheri Superiore Guado al Tasso is a delicious wine that never holds back in terms of intensity and seamless integration. Every detail has been finessed. The blend is 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. Each vineyard parcel is fermented separately to maintain varietal identity. The wine’s appearance is dark and luscious with thick extraction and a vibrant dark garnet hue. Generous aromas of dark fruit, tobacco and chocolate lift steadily from the glass. The mouthfeel is soft and yielding with a great sense of tannic persistency that holds up the finish, which can be counted in many long minutes. Give this wine five years or more to fully evolve.