Antinori Cont'Ugo 2015

The nose shows intense notes of ripe cherries and blueberries well integrated with intriguing hints of candied fruit and sweet spices. On the palate, the wine is supple, balanced, and long. The balance and the high pleasure level of the fruity aftertaste are a characterizing element of the wine.

A selection was made of the finest grapes of the 100 acres (40 hectares) planted to Merlot of the Guado al Tasso estate. After the hand picking and a careful selection of the bunches in the cellars, the must went into temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks where it macerated on its skins and fermented for a period of approximately 20 days. The fermentation temperatures were controlled on the basis of the ripeness level of the grapes, lower in some cases to maintain a greater aromatic freshness, at times close to 86° Fahrenheit (30° centigrade) for a greater extraction and structure. Different types of Merlot were accordingly produced and then aged in separate small oak barrels. The malolactic fermentation took place in barrel (1/3 of which were new) and was completed by the end of the year. After eight months of French oak barrel aging, the finest lots were assembled and went back into barrel for a further four months of aging. At the end of this period, the wine was bottled and was given six months of bottle aging before commercial release.

The Guado al Tasso estate is located in the small, but prestigious, Bolgheri appellation on the coast Tuscany’s Upper Maremma, some 60 miles (100 kilometers) to the southwest of the city of Florence. This appellation has a relatively short history (it was created in 1994) but can boast a worldwide fame as a reference point wine on the international scene. The estates covers an area of about 320 hectares (790 acres) planted to vines, in a splendid plain surrounded by hills known as “the Bolgheri amphitheater” for its particular geographical conformation. The Guado al Tasso vineyards consist principally of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Vermentino grapes. They enjoy a mild climate due to the nearby presence of the Mediterranean Sea, constant breezes mitigate summer heat, and the rigors of winter clear the sky and maintain a high degree of solar light and radiation. Cont’Ugo is produced exclusively from Merlot grapes in order to interpret the territory of Bolgheri from a new perspective. The vineyards, situated at an altitude between 150 and 200 feet (45-60 meters) above sea level on clayey-loam soils prevalently of alluvial origin, gave Cont’Ugo great depth and complexity while conserving the fragrance and richness of fruit which are typical of Merlot. Cont’Ugo is produced entirely with Merlot as a new interpretation of the Bolgheri territory. The vineyards grow at an altitude that varies between 45 and 60 meters (147/196 feet) above sea level on clay-loam soils that are of alluvial origin that give the wine deep complex notes while preserving the fragrance and freshness typical of Merlot berries. Antonio Galloni 93/100 USA James Suckling 92/100 USA Wine Spectator 93/100 USA