Tenuta San Guido Guidalberto 2021.

The label depicts the Oratory of San Guido and the wine is named after the family ancestor Guidalberto della Gherardesca, an agricultural pioneer in the Bolgheri area. It was in the first decades of the 1800’s when he built the first factories, and churches, and planned the avenue of cypress trees, the Viale dei Cipressi. These trees were initially used to mark the boundaries between the different crops. Its ornamental value, with the tall cypresses running in double rows, came after that. Guidalberto is from the producers of the legendary Sassicaia, with a more approachable drinkability and a great aging potential. It is a great expression of the Tenuta San Guido territory.

HARVEST NOTE: 2021 was a vintage of great quality, although it was limited in quantity. After a somewhat rainy autumn and with temperatures above the seasonal norm, the winter was rather harsh, especially with the arrival of the "Burian" perturbation of polar origin which caused temperatures to drop below. However, it was a favorable situation because of the vegetative standstill of the plants and the elimination of a large part of the insects and parasites harmful to the vine. After a first timid beginning of spring, which occurred at the end of March, with a rise in temperatures which had caused the buds of the earliest Merlot vines to swell, a perturbation of cold air of Atlantic origin brought back the intense cold with temperatures close to 32°F. The continuation of spring was somewhat rainy until mid-May when the heat and beautiful sunny days took over. The month of June was regular with normal temperatures, while July was hotter with temperatures above the seasonal average, both during day and night. The high temperatures have led agronomists to intervene with the natural product "kaolin" to protect the vine leaves and avoid stress. The intense heat continued in the first part of August and on August 16th a perturbation brought some rain. The temperatures dropped back into the seasonal norm. This providential climate change allowed the grapes to carry out an excellent phenolic ripening. The manual harvest took place at a good pace, starting with the harvest of Merlot at the end of August. This providential climate change that has allowed the grapes to carry out an excellent phenolic ripening. The harvest took place at a good pace, concentrating the picking during the coolest hours of the day.

TASTING NOTE: A full-bodied wine of intense red fruit flavor and elegantly supple texture supported by ripe, silky tannins. The Merlot in the blend is expressed in sweet black fruit with overall aromas of ripe, concentrated berries offset by restrained spicy oak notes.