ANTINORI, TENUTA GUADO AL TASSO
TUSCANY, ITALY 2023
WHY BUY: Complexity, structure, balance, and revered Bolgheri terroir — it’s all here, in Guado al Tasso’s 97-point Superiore 2023, and at a fraction of the price of other top Tuscan estates. Insinuating in its richness and full of impeccable integration, it’s both a worthy collectible and a bottle to open right now. We've also secured their fruit-forward, all-Merlot Cont'Ugo, which James Suckling singled out for being "velvety" and full of "suppleness," and which features the same attention to detail, and (astonishingly, for only $65) exudes much the same Bolgheri character. But then, of course: the Antinori family has been doing this for — count 'em — 26 generations. You're in extraordinary hands.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: "Lush and polished," with "velvety tannins, supple richness, and a seamless texture throughout” — that’s how Jeb Dunnuck described the Superiore, in a 97-point rave, concluding that it's "a strong, balanced vintage with the structure to age gracefully." The Cont'Ugo 2024 earned not just the admiration of James Suckling, but also a few lines capturing his pleasure in it, from the "Mediterranean style” nose with "leafy, almost coffee-ground aromas," alongside "cassis, cloves and sweet spices,” to the palate that is "medium-bodied with good weight and suppleness” to the "velvety tannins and refreshing acidity” that make drinking such an easy-going joy.
OUR TASTING NOTES:
* Pour the Superiore, and what greets you first isn't fruit but something cooler and more mineral — graphite, wet stone. Now the dark berries arrive, but slowly, trailing violet and just a hint of well-worn leather. On the palate you prepare yourself for Tuscan muscle, and it's there, to be sure; but so is a startling precision: everything is in its place, and the wine glides seamlessly across the tongue. We can guarantee you that it will last a decade-plus in the cellar, but we wouldn’t dock you for impatience: it's pretty glorious already.
* The all-Merlot Cont'Ugo is a charmer of a wine, with cherry, morello, and raspberry tumbling out of the glass, along with a wave of sweet spice and a faint (but unmissable) note of Mediterranean scrub. The tannins are softer than we anticipated, there’s a strong vein of acidity in the mix, and the finish is round and soft, the kind that has you immediately reaching for the glass for another sip.
THE STORY: To tell the tale properly, we have to go back to a time long, long ago: to the 14th century, when, no kidding, Leonardo da Vinci was sketching his flying machines in Florence. That’s when the Antinori family began to practice and perfect the art of winemaking. That’s 26 generations ago. As the Renaissance reshaped art and science, the Antinoris were quietly reshaping viticulture. We could go on for pages, or days, but let’s skip ahead in this family epic to 1990, when Marchesi Antinori acquires the Guado al Tasso estate in Bolgheri. The property sits in what's known as the Bolgheri amphitheater, a natural bowl with a singular microclimate that nurtures exceptional fruit. Here the legendary Antinori philosophy (reverence for tradition wedded to a hunger for innovation) finds perhaps its fullest expression, in wines that brim with a sense of place, of history, and of artistry that only centuries of intimate knowledge of the land can produce … and that transcends mere proficiency.
WHAT TO PAIR THEM WITH: The Superiore is the wine you want when you’ve got a ribeye that’s just been pulled from a ripping hot pan, and that sports a perfect, caramelized crust; it’s also fantastic with a wild boar ragù over hand-rolled pappardelle, or even just a board of aged, room-temperature Pecorino and Parmigiano-Reggiano. The Cont'Ugo, being more fruit-forward, is a natural partner for grilled lamb chops, or any kind of risotto, or a simple plate of pasta in a rich tomato sugo.
FUN FACT: "Guado al Tasso" means "Badger's Ford," in Italian, and if you tour the estate, you might understand why that name came to anoint the property. You might, if you’re lucky, spy a badger (a tasso) crossing a ford (a guado) in the stream.
OUR GUARANTEE: As always, we only source directly from the producer to ensure that your bottles arrive as they should: with pristine provenance guaranteed.
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Winter 2026 (Dec.21st - Mar. 20th, 2027). With the supply chain issues that we are seeing globally, there may be some unforeseen delays which could affect the ETA. All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. Offer not valid in KS, MI, NY, OK, or TN. This offer will expire on Monday, August 3rd, 2026.