98pts Vinous

The 2021 Bolgheri Superiore Guado al Tasso is a very beautiful wine, but also quite a departure from the style that made it famous years ago. Readers will find an especially polished Guado al Tasso, a wine that emphasizes finesse more than power. Silky tannins wrap around a core of black cherry fruit, licorice, spice, mocha and new leather. Bright, saline undertones extend the exquisite finish. There's more Cabernet Franc in the blend these days, and that very much comes through in the wine's crazy aromatic presence and feel. The 2021 spent 16 months in wood, three months in used French oak barrels during the malolactic fermentation and then 14 months in barrel (80% new) for the rest of its aging. Gorgeous.

97pts Wine Spectator

The pedigree and purity of this red are evident immediately from its black currant, blackberry, pomegranate, violet and wild herb aromas. Saturated with red and black fruit and picking up licorice and mineral elements, this is all about finesse and harmony. Cruises to the long finish, which is tinged with fruit, mineral, cedar, licorice and spice notes. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Best from 2026 through 2043.

97pts James Suckling

This is really well crafted, with ultra-fine tannins that spread across the palate. It’s medium-bodied with a balance of currant, dark chocolate and hazelnut character. It’s so long and persistent, with gorgeous sophistication and unctuousness at the finish. Extremely well done. Drinkable now, but event better in two or three years.

95pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The Marchesi Antinori 2021 Bolgheri Superiore Guado al Tasso is 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot and 29% Cabernet Franc from a hot year that also benefited from better underground water reserves because 2020 actually saw quite a bit of rain in Bolgheri and that moisture carried over. This wine is all forward thrust as a result, with a determined mouthfeel pushed over the palate thanks to plummy fruit, baked blackberry and sweet spice. The wine gracefully adds a spot of much-needed minerality that adds to the sensations of freshness. There is even some mint that livens up the mouthfeel.

Tasting Notes

Guado al Tasso 2021 is an intense ruby red color. The palate is intense and complex with captivating aromas of currants, blackberries and blood oranges followed by undertones of spices, tobacco, licorice, and roasted coffee. The palate is mouth filling and persistent, bursting with vibrant silky tannins. A powerful yet graceful vintage with outstanding aging potential.

Winemaker's Notes

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and occasionally a small amount of Petit Verdot to best represent the complexity and elegance of the Bolgheri terroir. This wine has been produced since 1990 from vineyards on alluvial soils whose composition ranges from clay-sand to clay-loam with rocky deposits know as “scheletro”.

Vineyard Notes

The Guado al Tasso estate is located in the small but prestigious Bolgheri DOC, on the coast of upper Maremma, about one hundred kilometers southwest from Florence. This appellation has a relatively recent history, DOC Bolgheri was approved in 1995 and since then it has become an internationally recognized reference point for the Italian and international winemaking arena.

The estate covers an area of 320 hectares (790 acres) planted with vines, set in a beautiful plain encircled by rolling hillsides known as the "Bolgheri Amphitheatre" due to its particular shape.

The vineyards are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Vermentino Nero and Bianco. The nearby sea provides a mild climate with constant breezes that mitigate summer heat and alleviate harsh winter weather, maintaining a clear sky and a high level of sunlight exposure.

Alluvial in origin, soils vary from sandy-clay to silty-clay and in some areas good presence of very fine gravel called scheletro (also known as agglomerate from Bolgheri).