About this wine
Vineyard and terroir
The fruit comes from vineyards owned by members of the Incisa family that border the Tenuta San Guido estate, whose vineyards cover 90 ha in total. The soils are poor and stony. Proximity to the sea and low yields help the grapes ripen fully.
Grapes
Merlot contributes roundness and a silky character, making the wine approachable while young.
Vinification
The grapes are harvested entirely by hand: Merlot in late August and Cabernet Sauvignon in September. The bunches are hand-sorted on a sorting table, then destemmed and gently pressed to limit tannin extraction. The varieties are vinified separately.
Fermentation takes place in stainless-steel tanks at a controlled 26–28 °C. Skin maceration lasts 12–15 days for Merlot and 10–13 days for Cabernet Sauvignon, with regular pumping over to extract colour, tannins and aromas. Malolactic fermentation begins in early November and takes place entirely in steel tanks. The wine is lightly filtered before bottling.
Ageing
The wine matures for 15 months in French and American oak barrels.
Tasting profile
Elegant, complex and balanced, with a round, silky character.
Label / history
Guidalberto is the second wine of Tenuta San Guido. It is named after Guidalberto della Gherardesca, an early-18th-century member of the Incisa family known for his agricultural achievements in the region. His greatest source of pride was Bolgheri’s Avenue of Cypresses, now recognised as part of Italy’s national heritage.
