Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A rich, layered young red with blackberries, plums and chocolate. It’s full-bodied and intense with black-chocolate and hazelnut character. So well crafted. Drink now or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Tenuta Guado al Tasso 2018 Bolgheri Rosso Il Bruciato is a steal at this price point. Indeed, this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah has consistently affirmed its very reputation on the fact that it so effortlessly hits that sweet spot between value and quality year after year. The wine opens to soft, supple fruit with blackberry and blackcurrants backed by spice, leather and tobacco. The aromas are fresh, fruit-forward and very inviting. The sweet succulence of the wine immediately invites a pairing with marinaded or barbecued meats slow-cooked over embers. In terms of mouthfeel, Il Bruciato is designed to be approachable and most importantly: food friendly. You can't go wrong here. I notice that the integration of fruit is particularly well-managed in this cooler vintage.
Rating: 92+ -
Wine Enthusiast
This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah opens with aromas of cassis, underbrush and tobacco. The savory, balanced palate offers blackberry, clove and white pepper alongside polished tannins. Drink through 2025.
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.
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.