2015 Tenuta San Guido Guidalberto

The 2015 Guidalberto is a delicious, mid-priced red from Tenuta San Guido. Here, too the style is quite restrained for a wine that in the past has played more on textural richness and volume. At times, Guidalberto was richer and more voluptuous in style than Sassicaia, but the 2015 is done in a style that is more similar to that of its big brother. It remains to be seen if that is a true stylistic shift or simply a reflection of the 2015 vintage. In any event, the 2015 is very pretty. Sweet Cabernet Sauvignon aromatics, pliant red-toned fruit and mid-weight structure are the signatures.

The 2015 vintage promises good things in Tuscany and this wine offers an informal sneak peek at what we can expect from the celebrated Tenuta San Guido vineyards in Bolgheri. The 2015 Guidalberto opens to a darkly saturated garnet hue. It shows similar concentration and power in terms of its aromatic delivery. Aromas are shapely and round with dark fruit nuances followed by leather, spice and dark tar. The wine is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with a smaller part Merlot. You feel the lush softness of the second grape as the wine glides smoothly over the palate. It takes on more weight in the glass. This is a solid buy from Bolgheri on the Tuscany Coast.

60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot. Concentrated crimson. Deep, red fruit nose with the merest hint of oak. Supple and yet lots of concentration and length. Serious tannins, but much finer than Le Difese of the same vintage. Elegant and hedonistic at the same time. (WS)