Tasting Notes
Climate
The 2011 vintage was characterized by a cool July, while both early spring, late August, and early September were very warm, with temperatures well above seasonal averages. Bud burst was slightly early but quite uniform. Regular weather during the spring and a cool early summer with scattered rainfall, up until the beginning of August, favored a lengthy growing season without vine stress. The heat of late August, though mitigated by the nearby presence of the sea, caused some irregularity and variability in the ripening along with a loss of production, particularly in early-ripening varieties such as Merlot. September was milder in its temperatures, and occasional rainfall allowed the later-ripening Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon to complete the final phases of their ripening in a uniform manner, guaranteeing an exceptional concentration of flavor and tannins.
Vinification
The harvesting of Guado al Tasso was done entirely by hand with the grapes picked directly into small, thirty seven pound (fifteen kilogram) packing cases. Once in the cellars, the grapes were sorted twice: first on a sorting table where only the finest and healthiest bunches pass the selection and then, after destemming, with a careful choice of the single berries to insure that only perfectly ripe grapes finished in the fermenting tanks. As in every harvest, the many individual vineyard plots were fermented on their own in order to conserve the separate and distinctive characteristics of their grapes. The fermentation took place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks and lasted 15-20 days. After the wine was run off its skins, it was racked into new oak barrels where it went through a complete malolactic fermentation. After the initial year of aging in French oak barrels, the finest selection for Guado al Tasso were assembled and went back into barrel for an additional six month period of aging before bottling.
Historical Data
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and occasionally a small amount of Petit Verdot to best represent the complex and elegant terroir found in Bolgheri. This wine has been produced since 1990 from vineyards on alluvial soils whose composition ranges from clay-sand to clay-loam with rocky deposits known as “scheletro”.
Tasting Notes
A wine of the aromatic intensity and silkiness of texture was something rather unexpected in such a hot vintage as the 2011. The Merlot gave sweetness of flavor, density of texture, and a very intense aroma of black fruit. The Cabernet Sauvignon contributed an exceptional richness along with additional black fruit aromas, liquorice, and not the slightest hint of greenness. Cabernet Franc added a magnificent balance and poise, smoothing the elevated tannic power of the other varieties and, finally, the Petit Verdot supplied that light touch of spice which completed the bouquet. This is a concentrated wine, one of great class and elegance, a wine capable of a very lengthy aging and positive evolution in the bottle.
Awards
I vini di Veronelli 2015 Super Tre Stelle Italy Bibenda 2015 5 Grappoli Italy Annuario L. Maroni 91/100 Italy Wine Advocate 95/100 USA Antonio Galloni 94/100 USA James Suckling 95/100 USA Falstaff 94/100 Austria Wine Spectator 92/100 USA Daniele Cernilli 91/100 Italy Wine & Spirits 95/100 + Year's Best + 100 Best Wines of the Year USA
Climate
The 2011 vintage was characterized by a cool July, while both early spring, late August, and early September were very warm, with temperatures well above seasonal averages. Bud burst was slightly early but quite uniform. Regular weather during the spring and a cool early summer with scattered rainfall, up until the beginning of August, favored a lengthy growing season without vine stress. The heat of late August, though mitigated by the nearby presence of the sea, caused some irregularity and variability in the ripening along with a loss of production, particularly in early-ripening varieties such as Merlot. September was milder in its temperatures, and occasional rainfall allowed the later-ripening Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon to complete the final phases of their ripening in a uniform manner, guaranteeing an exceptional concentration of flavor and tannins.
The History
Back in 1928, Niccolò Antinori decided to christen this wine Villa Antinori, in honor of the family’s eponymous villa; it was a reflection of his own personal interpretation of Chianti Classico’s and Tuscany’s unique identity.
The Style
Villa Antinori was first crafted in 1928 by Marchese Niccolò Antinori, Piero Antinori’s father, as the Antinori family’s signature wine; an exceptional wine that can represent the family’s history, identity and continuity like no other. “Villa Antinori is a full-blooded Tuscan red […] which grapes are grown, mature and are harvested from our Tuscan estates and then fermented and aged in the Antinori family estates.” Piero Antinori.
The design
The label’s design represents our concept of home, our territory and Tuscany. “The French have châteaux, but we have Villas!” Niccolò Antinori cheerfully explained his choice for the illustration on the front label, an innovative design that broke with more traditional packaging conventions of that time.
In Honor of the Monaldeschi della Cervara Family
The wine’s name honors the Monaldeschi della Cervara family who was the historic owner of Castello della Sala in the XVI century.
An old railway station
The Vignaferrovia vineyard takes its name from a characteristic old nineteenth century railway station still located a short distance from the vines.
Grown in an area with Great Potential
Poggio alle Nane comes from a winegrowing area well known for its production of high quality wines, an area in which both Cabernet and Carménère best express their characteristics.
A red amidst whites
At Castello della Sala, an area historically important for white wines, Pinot Nero offers an authentic and typical expression of its variety with a strong territorial character.
An ancient grape variety
Aleatico, an old and traditional Tuscan grape variety grown since Etruscan times, is able to give a modern expression of itself in this unique territory.
Villa del Cigliano
Villa del Cigliano, located in the gently rolling hillsides of San Casciano Val di Pesa, in the province of Florence, has always been a symbol of strong family relationships; the villa has watched over the lives of generations of Antinori family members since 1546, the year Alessandro di Niccolò Antinori became the owner of the property.
The Design
The label was designed by Silvio Coppola in 1974 for the release of Tignanello 1971. The idea to commission this artist was discussed at an event at Castello della Sala in 1973. Silvio Coppola was an important Italian graphic and interior designer who was famous for his minimalist lighting fixtures and austere furniture but also for book cover designs for Italian publishing company Feltrinelli. Silvio Coppola was the perfect match for the job.
The Bolgheri Amphitheater
The Guado al Tasso estate’s most characteristic geographic feature is the Bolgheri Amphitheater, a beautiful plain encircled by rolling hillsides that faces the Tyrrhenian Sea. The shape of the territory creates a unique microclimate with beneficial temperature fluctuations. The estate’s vineyards are located at the foot of the amphitheater, an optimal position as cold nocturnal breezes cool down the vines. These particular climatic conditions give the grapes pronounced aromas and guarantee a perfect ripening of the berries.
The Barrique
Cervaro della Sala was one of the first Italian white wines to have malolactic fermentation and aging take place in barriques.
The Name
Poggio alle Nane’s name comes from the area where its vines grow. Duck breeding farms once existed and the name “Nane” is local dialect for duck. The vineyards extend from the hillside to the lake that are still part of the property.
Rocky soils
The Vignaferrovia vineyard grows on rocky, gravelly soils, a condition that naturally limits the grapevine’s growth rate and enhances the quality of the berries.
Winding vineyards
The 4 hectares (10 acres) of Pinot Nero grow along the hillsides shaping the landscape into a series of sinuous terraced vineyards.
A single letter symbol
“A” represents in one single letter the combination of the estate’s initials, Fattoria Aldobrandesca, and the grape’s variety, Aleatico.
The Signature
Marchese Piero Antinori, the current Honorary President, decided to have his father, Niccolò Antinori, sign the label as a sign of recognition for his father’s confidence in him.
Te Duce Proficio
Guado al Tasso added the Antinori family’s historic family crest on the capsules.
The Concept
The idea behind Cervaro della Sala was to craft a white wine able to age over time.
Sea breezes
Southwestern vineyard exposure allows sea breezes to mitigate hot summer temperatures and limit heat spikes.
Understanding nature
The particularly hot climate of Castello della Sala has forced agronomists to invent new ways to protect the grapes from the hot summer sun. The vines’ shoots are allowed to grow in length and are then folded over the plant so its leaves can shade the Pinot Nero grape clusters.
A Pursuit for Balance
“A” was crafted following the family’s pursuit for exceptional balance between Aleatico’s pronounced character and the unique qualities of the estate’s volcanic soils.
Te Duce Proficio
The historic family crest of the Antinori family
A Tribute to the Della Gherardesca Family
Guado al Tasso designed a label with the Della Gherardesca family crest and the initials DG as a tribute to the former estate owners.
The Enologist
In 1985, Renzo Cotarella, who was chief enologist at Castello della Sala at that time, made the first vintage of Cervaro della Sala.
A personal interpretation
The Antinori family wanted to give their own deeply personal interpretation of the historic wine, Brunello di Montalcino.
The Sun
Tignanello’s stylized “Sun” by Silvio Coppola
Antinori Estates
Estates in Italy
