Bolgheri Superiore, Guado al Tasso 2023 75cl
Bolgheri Superiore is Guado al Tasso's grand statement, the wine that put this stretch of the Tuscan coast on the fine-wine map alongside its neighbours Sassicaia and Ornellaia. The 2023 is built to last.
This is the flagship of Antinori's Bolgheri estate, a Bordeaux-style blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc from the estate's best plots. It is aged for around 14 months in French oak barriques, then given further time in bottle before release, in the classic Super Tuscan mould that combines Bordelais grapes with Italian sunshine and coastal freshness.
Expect a deep, layered nose of blackcurrant, dark cherry and graphite, with cedar, tobacco and sweet spice from the oak. The palate is full-bodied and powerful, with firm but polished tannins, concentrated dark fruit and a long, savoury, mineral finish. There is a real sense of structure here, the kind that promises decades rather than years.
Though it can be broached young with air, this is a wine to cellar, coming into its own from around 2028 and holding for two decades or more. At around £110 it offers genuine grand-vin quality for a fraction of what its most famous neighbours command.
How to Serve
Serve at 16-18°C in a large Bordeaux glass. Decant for at least an hour, more if drinking young.
Where to Drink It
Trivet near London Bridge, for a cellar-worthy list. Locanda Locatelli in Marylebone, for fine Italian dining. The River Café in Hammersmith, for an occasion.
Food Pairings
Roast rib of beef, or a hard aged pecorino with dark honey.
