2020 Marchesi Antinori Tenuta Guado al Tasso Bolgheri Superiore, Tuscany

The Marchesi Antinori 2020 Bolgheri Superiore Guado al Tasso sees Cabernet Franc at over 30% of the blend in this vintage, with the rest going to Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% to 20% to Merlot. Matarocchio was not produced this year, and this wine benefits from the extra Cabernet Franc as a result. The 2019 and 2021 vintages of Guado al Tasso are quite concentrated and rich, whereas 2020 is leaner in texture, along the lines of the edition we saw made in 2010. There was rain in September. Managing Director Renzo Cotarella says he would not describe 2020 as a hot vintage because the rain did pose challenges at the end of the growing season. In Bolgheri on the Tuscan coast, budbreak is earlier than in other appellations, and the growing season is longer as a result. This is a benefit to the international varieties used here. The wine shows nice richness and intensity. The Cabernet Franc definitely comes through and adds the characteristic vertical lift and linearity that the grape is known for. You get black fruit, spice, white pepper and no signs of bitter stems or bramble. Sweet, almost milky tannins are interlocked with fresh acidity to give this wine good cellaring potential. The new oak was dialed back a bit in this vintage.

96 points Monica Larner robertparker.com

The nose is rich with notes of blackberries, black cherry and soil, while a white pepper undertone provides pop. On the supple, warm palate, berries continue leading the way, before a salty, chocolaty finish with another kick of pepper. Stoic tannins are balanced by lively, persistent acidity.

96 points wineenthusiast.com

The 2020 Guado Al Tasso pours an inky opaque red hue and reveals luxurious, layered aromas of sandalwood, cassis, boysenberry, lavender, and black olive. Fleshy and full-bodied, it fills the palate with ripe, sweet tannins and wonderful accents of salted dark chocolate on the finish. This is a wine that will certainly reward proper cellaring, but it already has a lot of the open-knit charm that’s characteristic of this vintage. Drink 2025-2045.

96 points jebdunnuck.com

Packed with exuberant blackberry, black currant and blueberry fruit, this red shows the expressive character of the vintage. Just when you think it's too flamboyant, the solid structure reins it in. Shows excellent balance and length, with a touch of lavender and wild herbs on the lingering finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2040.

95 points winespectator.com

Aromas of black olives, berries, herbs, red beans, sour cherries, and sage follow through to a full body, with chewy tannins and plenty of structure. It’s flavorful and intense. Needs time to come together. Best after 2027.

95 points jamessuckling.com

‘This is not the best possible Guado al Tasso, but it's the best we could do in vintages like this,’ commented Antinori CEO, Renzo Cotarella. ‘Cabernet Sauvignon is slightly lighter in this vintage due to the rainfalls of September.’ Dense purple in the glass, the 2020 offers a complex bouquet of cassis, earthy forest floor, wild Mediterranean herbs and intense dried eucalyptus leaf. Density and extraction dance in an embrace on a palate that's full of concentration, youth and precision. The tannins are velvety, the acidity natural and crisp, and the use of oak well judged. The finish is focused on graphite minerality, for an enticing yet ageworthy Superiore.

95 points decanter.com

Marchesi Antinori Tenuta Guado al Tasso Bolgheri Superiore is one of the great modern icons of Italian wine—a bold yet refined Bordeaux-style blend from the prestigious Bolgheri DOC on Tuscany’s coast. Crafted at the Guado al Tasso estate near the Tyrrhenian Sea, this wine blends Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and sometimes a dash of Cabernet Franc or Petit Verdot, depending on the vintage, to create a powerful expression of place with undeniable elegance.

The Bolgheri terroir is key here. The vineyards lie in an amphitheatre-shaped valley—what the Antinori family calls the "Bolgheri bowl"—where sea breezes and diurnal temperature shifts create ideal conditions for ripening Bordeaux varieties while preserving freshness and aromatic complexity.

Winemaking at Guado al Tasso is led by Renzo Cotarella, Antinori’s long-time chief winemaker and CEO, known for his meticulous craftsmanship and sensitivity to site. The wine is fermented in stainless steel, then aged in new French oak barriques for around 18 months, followed by additional time in bottle before release.

The result is deep and complex. Aromas of blackcurrant, wild blackberry, sweet tobacco, cedar and subtle graphite unfold in layers. The palate is full bodied but graceful, with dense dark fruit, silky tannins, perfectly integrated oak and a long, savoury finish with notes of cocoa, dried herbs and mineral tension. It's a wine that is as ageworthy as it is impressive in youth.

Best paired with bistecca alla fiorentina, slow-braised beef, truffle pasta or rich mushroom dishes. This is world-class Tuscan red wine that more than holds its own among the greats of Bordeaux.