Tenuta Guado al Tasso

Expression of Bolgheri Terroir

Tenuta Guado al Tasso is located in the small but prestigious Bolgheri DOC, on the coast of upper Maremma, about one hundred kilometers southwest from Florence. This appellation has a relatively recent history, DOC Bolgheri was approved in 1994 and since then it has become an internationally recognized reference point for the Italian and international winemaking arena. The estate covers an area of about 320 hectares (790 acres) planted with vines, set in a beautiful plain encircled by rolling hillsides known as the "Bolgheri Amphitheatre" due to its particular shape.

History

The noble Della Gherardesca family began practicing viticulture in the late 1600’s on their land in Bolgheri, but things really began to change under the guidance of Guido Alberto Della Gherardesca (1780-1854). He was a passionate about viticulture. He was appointed majordomo of Grand Duke Leopold II and then dedicated himself to enology in his family’s land in Maremma. In the 1930’s, the property was inherited by Carlotta Della Gherardesca Antinori (Piero Antinori’s mother) and her sister who was married to Mario Incisa Della Rocchetta (who received the nearby Tenuta San Guido).

Vineyards, Experimentation and Cellars.

The vineyards

The vineyards are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Vermentino grapes; this last cultivated with both with white and red varieties. The nearby sea provides a mild climate with constant breezes that mitigate summer heat and alleviate harsh winter weather, maintaining a clear sky and a high level of sunlight exposure. The area's alluvial soils, which vary from sandy-clay to silty-clay rich in agglomerate from Bolgheri (a very fine gravel), influence the character and personality of the varietals grown and give them a distinctive territorial identity. (Ph. by: Massimiliano Londi)