Body Double - Take 2
April 21, 2010

 

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The Tenuta Guado al Tasso estate is located in Maremma, near the medieval village of Bolgheri, about 80 km southwest of Florence.  The nearly 1,000-hectare (1 hectare = 2.47 acres) estate extends from the Tyrrhenian coast to the hills, containing 300 hectares of vineyards. The rest of the estate comprises land given over to the cultivation of wheat, barley, oats and olives and also contains a wooded area, where "cinta senese" pigs are reared.

 

Many savvy consumers have learned of the standout quality to price ratio when purchasing the "second" wines from Bolgheri's luxury estates; Ornellaia's Serre Nuove, Sassiciaia's Guidalberto, Argentiera's Poggio al Ginepr, Aia Vecchia's Lagone, and the list continues. But these wines do not compare to the amazing value found in Antinori's stunningly grand 07 Il Bruciato, aka "Baby" Guado al Tasso!  No, there has never been a Bruciato produced like this one.  Perhaps it is the greatness of the 07 vintage showing through, or maybe the stars just aligned?  I don't know?  Typically, Guado al Tasso sells upwards for $90 to $100+ a bottle. The 07 Il Bruciato is cut from the same cloth as the parent Guado's components; a "declassified" but masterful blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 20% Syrah.  Just as a lot of great movie scenes are edited and left on the cutting room floor, maybe this Il Bruciato "suffers" from an overzealous winemaking selection process....and too much great juice in 2007.  From past experience,  the 07 Il Bruciato mirrors the aroma and flavors of its heritage.  One whiff of the wild berries mingling with an earthy, tanned suede-like rusticity and you immediately know this wine is uniquely Italian.  Only a wine with pedigree can offer such a charming entry and smooth mid-palate precision.  Oh yes, there is still gusto and the promise of added complexity with a few more years of cellaring.  One can't help but believe this Bruciato is a sneak preview of the 07 Guado al Tasso.  And we get to purchase a "drink into the future", when after the prerequisite cellaring, Guado will shed its expensive concentration and intensity in exchange for refinement and the sublime.  See for yourself....save time and money!!