MARCHESI ANTINORI | Tenuta Guado al Tasso | Il Bruciato | 2019
cabernet sauvignon | merlot | syrah | cabernet franc | petit verdot

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For over six centuries, the name Antinori is synonymous to excellence in the art of winemaking and passion for viticulture through continuous pursuit for quality improvement, even in the smallest details. All throughout its history, Antinori managed the business with innovative and oftentimes bold decisions, while upholding the utmost respect for traditions and environment. Research and development is an ongoing process, both in the vineyards and in the cellars: selecting new clones of local and international grape varieties, experimenting with new winemaking techniques and vineyard altitudes, new approaches to fermentation and temperature control, using new types of oak, barrel size and age.

Today we are are going to review a genuine Super Tuscan wine blend from the famous Bolgheri sub-region of Toscana, Italy – Tenuta Guado al Tasso Il Bruciato 2019 by Marchesi Antinori. Tenuta Guado al Tasso is located in the small, but prestigious Bolgheri appellation, on the upper coast of Maremma Toscana, at about 100 km southwest of Florence. This appellation has a relatively young history, as it was established only in 1994, but has already gained worldwide recognition as a new reference point in the world of super premium wines. Il Bruciato was first released in the year 2002, during one of the most difficult vintages at Guado al Tasso, in order to showcase the unique terroir of the Bolgheri sub-region and is produced only in the best vintages since. This wine here is the epitome of a modern Super Tuscan – a blend of five grape varieties: cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, cabernet franc and petit verdot, where cabernet sauvignon forms the wine’s main body and structure, merlot is all about up-front richness and a more refined mid-palate, syrah add more tannin extract and enhances the wine’s color depth, cabernet franc offers a leaner and a more dynamic finish, whereas petit verdot adds finesse with dried herbs and subtle floral notes. In order to soften the tannins and add extra complexity to the final blend, the wine has been aged in oak barriques. But enough with all that theory, that said and without further ado, let’s take a look at the wine tasting results.
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Take a look at the tasting notes below and our detailed assessment of the wine:

//Visual
colour: deep & noble ruby color
clarity: hazy ruby shades on the rim

//Olfactory
intensity: pronounced | earthy-savory
fruit profile: red fruits
__red fruits: redcurrant | cranberry | sour cherry | red plum | hints of pomegranate
fruit character: ripe

//Flavor
non fruit: herbal | spice | oak | earth | savory
__herbal: thyme | rosemary | lavender
__spice: red pepper | paprika | cloves
__oak: sun-dried oakwood | rooibos tea
__earth: clay | loam | marl
__savory: old leather | brown olive | hints of iron & veal
primary layer: fruity-savory

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: high
alcohol: high
tannin: high
__grip: fine-grained
balance: good
__dominant: acidity
body: voluptuous | medium+

//Taste
fruit profile: red fruits
fruit character: ripe
non fruit: savory & earthy
finish: long
aftertaste: crisp & seedy

//Scoring
MARCHESI ANTINORI | Tenuta Guado al Tasso | Il Bruciato | 2019
variety: cabernet sauvignon | merlot | syrah | cabernet franc | petit verdot
country: Italy | Toscana
region: Maremma Toscana | Bolgheri
rating: 94.5

//Conclusion
maturity: developing | drink now or age for 3 to 5 more years
verdict: great | a must try wine

//Prediction
predicted RP rating: 91+

//RP Rating
actual RP rating: 92

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This is definitely a great wine of Italy and, with a total of 94.5 points scored, this wine is right there, among the best wines we’ve rated so far. Check our complete database on the wine rating page, where you can find all the wines that we have tasted and reviewed or go to the about us page and find out more about our exquisite rating system.

Verdict: this is an outstanding Super Tuscan wine blend and definitely one of the best we’ve tasted so far: ample, rich and crisp, with a vibrant nose and a voluptuous palate. The wine is still in its development phase, therefore we would recommend to age it for 3 to 5 more years, as the potential is clearly there, but make sure you don’t overdo it, as it is always better to drink a wine a year too soon than a day too late. On the nose the wine displays ripe red fruit notes mixed with some nuanced savory flavours in the foreground, supported by an quite earthy background and a very appealing, spicy-floral layer in between the two. On the palate the wine delivers bright acidity, fine-grained tannins and a touch of alcoholic warmth that is showing through on the mouthfeel, which leads to a pleasantly seedy and crisp aftertaste. All in all, this is a well structured and harmonious wine blend, surrounded by old-world delicacy and finesse – wine that has both, a distinctive personality and the footprint of the Bolgheri‘s signature terroir. We believe this wine will pair lovely with delicate and rustic meats, like for example some old-fashioned classics like Tournedos Rossini or a peppercorn filet mignon steak. Saluti!

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© The WineStatistics ratings are based solely on our own knowledge of the world of wine and on our personal wine tastes, which may, or may not, differ from yours – the reader. Just remember that there are no absolutes of right and wrong in wine appreciation.