Tenuta San Guido : Guidalberto 2020

The refinement and aromatic richness of a Tuscan red wine

The estate

Located between Livorno and Grosseto, Tenuta San Guido is an iconic reference among Tuscan wines and stems from the marriage between Marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta and Clarice della Gherardesca. In 1942, Mario decided to plant Cabernet Sauvignon vines in this area of Tuscany, marking the birth of Sassicaia wines a few years later. In 1983, Tenuta San Guido became the first estate in Italy to be granted its own appellation with the consecration of the DOC Bolgheri in 1983.

The wine

Guidalberto 2020 from Tenuta San Guido stems from a vineyard that rests on an array of soils composed of limestone, pebbles and clay. This terroir, situated at an altitude of between 100 and 300 metres, enjoys a south/southwest exposure.

With this wine, Nicolò Incisa Della Rocchetta refers to his grandfather, Guidalberto della Gherardesca, a pioneer of modern agriculture who lived in Bolgheri in the early 19th century. Wishing to perpetuate the pioneering and innovative spirit of his family, Nicolò Incisa explains that he created this new vintage in 2000 in order to experiment with the cultivation of a grape variety that had not previously been grown on his estate, the Merlot varietal, but also to provide his customers with a wine that could be enjoyed in its youth.

The vintage

Autumn was mild but very wet. The winter was just as wet, with a very cool month of February and a pleasant and mild month of March, which favoured the development of the vineyard. However, the frosts recorded in March, combined with cool temperatures, had an impact on the earliest buds, especially 30% of the Merlot vines. April and May were mild, marked by alternating mild, sunny days and cool, rainy episodes. Thereafter, although the daytime temperatures were seasonal, the nights remained cool, thus slowing down the vegetative cycle. Although the first ten days of June were particularly rainy, sunny and warm conditions prevailed until mid-July when cool temperatures were recorded. The hot weather in August was offset by a rainy spell at the end of August, which boosted the ripening process. Although these conditions brought the harvest forward by a week compared to previous years, the grapes harvested were rich in sugar and exhibited a high quality.

Winemaking and ageing

Manual harvesting. Manual sorting and rigorous selection on a sorting table. Destemming and slow pressing in order to favour a gentle extraction of the tannins. Alcoholic fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats without the addition of external yeast. Maceration for 12 to 16 days depending on the grape variety. Malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks. The wine is aged in barrels (20% American oak) for 15 months and then aged for a further 3 months in bottle before being released.

Blend

This Guidalberto 2020 from Tenuta San Guido is the result of a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (50%) and Merlot (50%).