The Wine Advocate | RP 96
Published: Jun 4, 2020
Date: 2022-2045

The Marchesi Antinori 2020 Bolgheri Superiore Guado al Tasso sees Cabernet Franc at over 30% of the blend in this vintage, with the rest going to Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% to 20% to Merlot. Matarocchio was not produced this year, and this wine benefits from the extra Cabernet Franc as a result. The 2019 and 2021 vintages of Guado al Tasso are quite concentrated and rich, whereas 2020 is leaner in texture, along the lines of the edition we saw made in 2010. There was rain in September. Managing Director Renzo Cotarella says he would not describe 2020 as a hot vintage because the rain did pose challenges at the end of the growing season. In Bolgheri on the Tuscan coast, budbreak is earlier than in other appellations, and the growing season is longer as a result. This is a benefit to the international varieties used here. The wine shows nice richness and intensity. The Cabernet Franc definitely comes through and adds the characteristic vertical lift and linearity that the grape is known for. You get black fruit, spice, white pepper and no signs of bitter stems or bramble. Sweet, almost milky tannins are interlocked with fresh acidity to give this wine good cellaring potential. The new oak was dialed back a bit in this vintage.

One of the biggest news stories to hit fine wine this year is the full acquisition of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars in Napa by Tuscany’s Marchesi Antinori in May 2023. The Antinori family enjoyed a 16-year partnership with the celebrated winery founded by Warren Winiarski in 1970. It is now the full owner. The announcement was made by the Antinori family and long-time USA partner Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, which has a portfolio of wines in the American Northwest (Washington and Oregon).

Marchesi Antinori is the only Italian company to own a winery in Napa. Marchese Piero Antinori first traveled to California’s wine country in the 1960s and fell in love. In 1985, his family started making wine in Napa (with the company known as Antica, which is short for “Antinori in California”).

“It is an honor for me and my family to make good on a promise made to my friend Warren Winiarski 16 years ago,” says Marchese Piero Antinori. “We wanted to safeguard the values and the heritage of the prestigious Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars.”

The Stag’s Leap 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon was singled out in the celebrated Judgement of Paris in 1976 that pitted the best of Californian wine against Bordeaux. It sparked a revolution in the world of fine wine.

JamesSuckling.com | JS 95
Published: Jun 28, 2023

Aromas of black olives, berries, herbs, red beans, sour cherries, and sage follow through to a full body, with chewy tannins and plenty of structure. It’s flavorful and intense. Needs time to come together. Best after 2027.

Antinori.it

Climate
Mild winter weather and occasional rain showers defined the beginning of the 2020 growing season. An unexpected cold snap struck the area in March with one frost event at the end of the month however no significant damage was caused except in several of the younger vineyard blocks of Cabernet Franc, which typically goes through bud burst precociously. These climatic conditions resulted in a slight drop in yields but did not adversely affect the quality of the fruit.

Temperatures began to rise mid-April and the spring season progressed normally ensuring good flowering and fruit set, which took place between the end of May and the beginning of June. Overall, summer was hot and dry without extreme heat events.

The fourth week of September brought cool temperatures and occasional light rain showers that lasted until October providing optimal temperature swings between day and night.

The grape harvest began on September 4th with Merlot and continued with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon mid-September to the beginning of October.

Vinification
Upon arrival in the cellar, the grapes were sorted on two different occasions, once before destemming and again immediately after to guarantee that only perfectly ripe berries reached fermentation vats. Keeping with tradition, each single vineyard parcel was subdivided into smaller blocks and the grapes were harvested separately based on climate trends and individual characteristics of each grape variety and then fermented separately. Fermentation and maceration took place in temperature controlled stainless steel vats for 15 - 20 days. After racking operations, the wine was transferred directly into barriques where malolactic fermentation was completed by the end of the year.  In February, wine from the very best vineyard blocks was selected and the final blend was made. Guado al Tasso was again transferred into new French oak barriques where it aged up until bottling in the month of June 2022.

Tasting Notes
Guado al Tasso 2020 is intensely ruby red in color. The nose offers notes of small dark fruit, sweet spices, toasted oak, and forest floor. On the palate, tannins are extremely well balanced, refined, and persistent. This wine can be enjoyed immediately, perhaps even more so than the past vintage, but also has exceptional aging potential, an extended period of bottle aging allows the wine to evolve and improve over time.