History |
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. 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. |
Harvest |
Final 10 days of September. |
Vinification |
The crop was picked by hand and, after a careful berry by berry selection process, the grapes were given a soft pressing and a cold pre-fermentation maceration of the skins on the must; the fermentation itself then followed. |
Ageing |
The wine went into new 60 gallon French oak barrels, where it went through a complete malolactic fermentation and aged for 18 months. At the end of the ageing period, but only after careful tasting process, the finest barrels were chosen and assembled for the production of the wine. It then stayed for a further 12 months in bottle before commercial release. |