Along with Sassicaia, the celebrated winery of Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta has other arrows to its bow, among which is noted this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Brilliant ruby color. The nose is clean and dense, hints of currant and wild blackberry. Notes of eucalyptus with iodine and licorice closure. The palate is enveloping, with tannins well blended with the fruit and a closure mentholated and saline. Great depth.
This 2020 Tenuta San Guido Guidalberto has leafy blackberry and cedar aromas with a subtle background of baking spice and cream. It has cool, green bramble flavors and fine will-o'-the-wisp, whispering tannins. It's all very elegantly done on the palate, understated, with everything in harmony but it is of course lighter than Sassicaia with a moderate finish. On standing there is a lovely delicate fragrance of macchia mediterranea, peppery spice and freesias with a thrilling acidity. Charming, understated and refreshing.
The 2020 Guidalberto is taut and tight with plenty of tart cherry and wild berry. The wine offers great freshness and tension with bay leaf, spice, wild cherry and pressed lavender buds. There is a hint of black olive too. The blend is equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
The 2020 Guidalberto is a gorgeous, classy wine. Less opulent than it can be, the 2020 impresses with its energy and drive. Sweet red cherry, plum, mint, rose petal, cedar and pipe tobacco all take shape in this super-attractive, mid-weight offering from Tenuta San Guido. There's a bit more Merlot in the 2020, but Guidalberto is increasingly made from lots that don't make it into Sassicaia, which explains the style of recent vintages. This is a terrific showing, especially considering the recent bottling. It's a fine relative value in Bolgheri's high-rent district.
Nice freshness on the palate with plums and berries and citrusy acidity. It’s medium-bodied with fine tannins and a powdery texture. Hints of mushrooms. You can enjoy this young, but it will age nicely, too.
A lively, fluid red, displaying cherry, black currant, cedar, iron and spice aromas and flavors. Taut and balanced, with a slightly reserved finish today. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Drink now through 2028.
Technical Details
Blend50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Merlot
CountryItaly
RegionTuscany
AppellationBolgheri
Aging/Cooperage20-25 months in French and American oak barrels
Here’s Galloni giving the digs on this Tenuta San Guido wine: “The 2020 Guidalberto is a gorgeous, classy wine…increasingly made from lots that don't make it into Sassicaia…This is a terrific showing…a fine relative value in Bolgheri's high-rent district.”
Sassicaia! THE Super Tuscan of all Super Tuscans! The folks at Tenuta San Guido could’ve just stopped there and would still make the history books. But where’s the fun in that? Enter the 96 POINT Guidalberto! Given the enormous praise and scores for its sibling, Sassicaia, we’d say emphatically YES to this one. For our killer $41.95 price??! This is EASY, guys. Buy this (while we have it, it will run out quickly) and drink it with joy while you sit on the OWC six-pack of Sassicaia (what, you only have one?).
Whether you’re new to Guidalberto or an old hand, EVERYONE who loves Bordeaux-inspired Super Tuscans should be rushing to grab this! The winery describes Guidalberto as “less pretense than Sassicaia and with a more approachable drinkability, while showing a great aging potential. It is not intended to follow in the footsteps of Sassicaia, but rather be a wine that shows another expression of the Tenuta San Guido territory.”
Named after a family ancestor, this complex blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot is the product of twenty years of experimenting – all to craft a singular Bordeaux varietal wine that expresses the San Guido estate. Terrifically balanced with high-toned red and black fruits, then followed with earthy minerals, roasted herbs, and plenty of spice – this is a truly unique wine that showcases the warmth of Tuscany, without ever sacrificing the Bordeaux-esque stylings of an almost Paulliac cousin. Sure, Sassicaia is the flagship of the estate, with its hefty $200+ price tag. But at this price? From the same estate? You’re giving up NONE of the quality, and gaining one of the most tremendous values in the uber-elite Bolgheri region...all crafted by the country’s most famous winemaking team. What’s not to love? While it lasts!
About the Producer
The idea of Tenuta San Guido came from the Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchettta dream of creating a "thoroughbred" wine like those of Bordeaux. The Tenuta San Guido is a 7,500-acre estate located in the province of Livorno on the western coastal outskirts of Tuscany near the village of Bolgheri. Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta acquired it through his marriage to Clarice della Gherardesca in 1940. The legacy of Sassicaia began in 1944, when Mario Incisa acquired a number of Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc vine cuttings and planted them on a sloping hillside of the San Guido estate, called Castiglioncello after the 11th-century castle at the vineyard's upper edge. Le Difese has been produced by Tenuta San Guido since 2002 as a Toscana IGT. The 2018 vintage created a perfect harmony between the flavors and structure of the wine.
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