Winemaker Notes
The 2014 Guado al Tasso is a less structured wine than usual but one with a crisp, savory finish and a balanced and complex fragrance. The nose shows notes of cherries under spirits, tobacco, candied oranges, and spices. The palate is vibrant, supple, and persistent with a spicy finish and aftertaste. In this vintage it was decided to use a larger percentage of Merlot and to eliminate the Petit Verdot, giving a final wine which differs from previous years.
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2014 Bolgheri Superiore Guado al Tasso has a level of aromatic intensity and breadth that is truly remarkable, especially for the year. Medium in body, gracious and lifted, the 2014 is pure class. Mocha, espresso, black cherry, leather and smoke are beautifully delineated in the glass. Medium in body and super-polished, the 2014 is without question one of the wines of the vintage on the Tuscan coast. I can't wait to see how it ages. This is impressive juice. Production is down by 40%. The 2014 Guado al Tasso is a rock star wine. I can't wait to see how it ages.
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James Suckling
The aromas of crushed berry, rose and violet are very attractive. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a savory finish. Delicate finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Bolgheri Superiore Guado Al Tasso offers more excellent surprises from this underdog vintage. Its deep, velvety color stands out first. This is an immensely soft and smooth red blend from the Bolgheri area on the Tuscan Coast. The wine opens to dark fruit aromas with background notes of spice, sweet tobacco and dark cacao. The tannins are refined and smooth with succulent end notes of ripe fruit and blackberry. The wine's texture is thicker and more elaborate than you might initially suspect. In fact, very little here indicates that 2014 was a cold and difficult vintage. Due to severe fruit selection, production of this wine is down by 30%. 93+
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Wine Spectator
Intense, matching black currant, blackberry, cedar and spice flavors to a sleek, light-weight frame. Drink now through 2020.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
An outstanding wine region made famous by Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, who planted Cabernet Sauvignon vines for his own consumption in 1940s on his San Guido estate, and called the resulting wine, Sassicaia. Today the region’s Tuscan reds are based on Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, which can be made as single varietal wines or blends. The local Sangiovese can make up no more than 50% of the blends. Today Sassicaia has its own DOC designation within the Bogheri DOC appellation.