Questo vino

Vineyard and terroir

The fruit comes from Guado al Tasso, about 80 km southwest of Florence near Bolgheri on the Tuscan coast. The 1,000-hectare estate extends from the sea to the first hills and lies at 45–60 metres above sea level, with rocky, slightly calcareous soils. Its vineyards are divided into numerous small plots with distinct characteristics; each plot is harvested and vinified separately.

Vinification

The ripe grapes are hand-picked into 15 kg crates and carefully selected before gentle destemming and light pressing. They undergo five days of skin maceration at 10 °C, followed by four weeks of fermentation on the skins in stainless-steel tanks. The wine is then transferred to French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation under constant supervision.

Ageing

The wine ages for 18 months in temperature-controlled cellars. Only the best barrels are chosen for the final blend, which then matures in bottle for at least one year.

Tasting profile

The aroma is complex. The flavour is deep, elegant and velvety.

Vintage notes

The 2009 season opened with a cool, rainy winter and early spring, followed by budbreak at the usual time in early April. May was dry and quite warm, while June returned to cool, rainy conditions, restoring balance to vine growth and supporting the development of leaves and grape clusters. July and August were particularly hot and almost entirely dry. Hot winds and high temperatures accelerated the ripening of early varieties, especially Merlot, while the thick skins and longer ripening cycle of Cabernet Franc helped it cope with the heat. After two days of rain in mid-September, temperatures dropped below the seasonal average, allowing later-ripening varieties to complete ripening slowly and develop substantial complexity and fragrance.