2022 Guidalberto, Tenuta San Guido, Tuscany, Italy
Critics reviews
Lots of mint with sage and fresh rosemary to the currant and orange character on the nose, as well as some ripe raspberries. The palate is very refined with creamy and crunchy tannins that run the length of the wine. It shows a crunchy and energetic personality. Give it a year or two to come together, but it’s showing brightness for the vintage.
Drink after 2027
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com (March 2024)
About this WINE
Tenuta San Guido
Tenuta San Guido's journey to becoming one of the world's most sought-after fine wines is largely owed to the vision and dedication of Mario Incisa della Rocchetta. The estate's origins trace back to his wife's family, who had owned land in Bolgheri since 1800. The name "Sassicaia," meaning "place of many stones," reflects the gravelly soil reminiscent of the Médoc region in France.
Mario Incisa della Rocchetta planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot vines on this land and enlisted the expertise of Piero Antinori's winemaker, Giacomo Tachis. Tachis played a pivotal role in shaping Tenuta San Guido's winemaking philosophy and techniques.
In 1968, Tenuta San Guido released its first vintage, which garnered universal acclaim. Over time, it has become recognised as one of the world's finest Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Notably, Tenuta San Guido made history by being the first single wine to be granted its own Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) status.
The wines of Tenuta San Guido are celebrated for their intense notes of cassis, coupled with a cedary elegance, and are renowned for their extraordinary power and length. This combination of factors has solidified Tenuta San Guido's position as a pinnacle of quality and prestige in the world of fine wine.
Bolgheri
Bolgheri is a new DOC in the coastal Maremma region which first rose to prominence during the 1970s with the emergence of the so-called Super Tuscan wines like Ornellaia and Sassicaia. These new ventures had rocked the DOC establishment by using high proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon, opting out of the DOC system and relabeling their wines as simply Vino da Tavola (table wine).
Having won universal acclaim and exchanging hands for unprecedented prices (higher even than Tuscany's finest examples), the authorities relented and awarded Bolgheri its own DOC. The actions of the Super Tuscans inspired a generation in Italy, even if some of the wines here have lost a little of their lustre since.
Cabernet Sauvignon Blend
Cabernet Sauvignon lends itself particularly well in blends with Merlot. This is actually the archetypal Bordeaux blend, though in different proportions in the sub-regions and sometimes topped up with Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot.
In the Médoc and Graves the percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend can range from 95% (Mouton-Rothschild) to as low as 40%. It is particularly suited to the dry, warm, free- draining, gravel-rich soils and is responsible for the redolent cassis characteristics as well as the depth of colour, tannic structure and pronounced acidity of Médoc wines. However 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wines can be slightly hollow-tasting in the middle palate and Merlot with its generous, fleshy fruit flavours acts as a perfect foil by filling in this cavity.
In St-Emilion and Pomerol, the blends are Merlot dominated as Cabernet Sauvignon can struggle to ripen there - when it is included, it adds structure and body to the wine. Sassicaia is the most famous Bordeaux blend in Italy and has spawned many imitations, whereby the blend is now firmly established in the New World and particularly in California and Australia.
Buying options
Add to wishlist
Description
Born from the same lineage as the legendary Sassicaia, Guidalberto was first created in 2000 by Nicolò, the son of the estate's proprietor, Mario Incisa della Rocchetta. Its name pays homage to Nicolò's great-great-great-grandfather, Guidalberto della Gherardesca, a pioneer in Bolgheri's modern agricultural landscape during the early 19th century. He is famous for planting the iconic cypress alley that inspired the poet Giosuè Carducci.
This vintage is intriguingly complex, yet delivers relatively early drinking pleasure. The growing season, characterised by intermittent warm spells and rainy patches, followed by a dry, sun-soaked summer, allowed for full ripening and high-quality fruit. This has resulted in an excellent wine exuding distinct dark berry notes, well-integrated tannins, and a fresh salinity that lends itself to a myriad of occasions.
Tasting note
The 2022 is a very elegant vintage of Guidalberto. The palate is complex; juicy red berries are layered with darker, more dense black fruits that add richness, alongside fresher herbal notes. Just emerging are hints of dark chocolate and cedar, which promise to develop even further with time. With a 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot blend, this wine offers a more approachable and fruit-forward expression of the Tenuta San Guido terroir, although it will continue to age exceptionally for the next decade at least.
Drink 2024 - 2035
Elisa De Luca, Content Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd (March 2024)
wine at a glance
Delivery and quality guarantee