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Antinori Guado al Tasso - Sassicaia and Ornellaia Neighbor in Bolgheri.
Antinori’s Bolgheri estate, from the house Vermentino at $25.97 to the Cont’Ugo Merlot to the 2023 Guado al Tasso, now at 97 points from both Wine Spectator and Jeb Dunnuck.
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A Personal Note
Dear Artisans,
Every serious collector of Italian wine ends up at the same three names on the Bolgheri coast: Sassicaia, Ornellaia and Antinori’s Tenuta Guado al Tasso. They are neighbors, sharing the same sea breezes and the same amphitheater of hills.
In June I wrote to you about four of its wines. The 2016 is gone. The three that remain have only gotten better on paper, so here they are again, with every review we now have.
The 2023 Now Has Five Scores
In June we showed you two reviews of the 2023 Guado al Tasso: 96 from Antonio Galloni at Vinous and 96 from Monica Larner at Wine Advocate. Today it carries six. Wine Spectator gave it 97 (“Expressive, yet classy rather than flamboyant… Superb.”), Jeb Dunnuck gave it 97 (“lush and polished, with velvety tannins, supple richness, and a seamless texture”), James Suckling 96 and, tasted in September, Falstaff 96.
Galloni’s line is still the one I keep coming back to: the 2023 “points to a new standard of finesse at Guado al Tasso.”
The Cont’Ugo picked up two more, 93 from Jeb Dunnuck and 93 from Falstaff, next to Wine Enthusiast 94, Wine Spectator 93 and Wine Advocate 92. And the 2025 Vermentino picked up 91 from James Suckling and 91 from Falstaff.
The Haut-Brion Of Bolgheri
In Bordeaux, Haut-Brion is the First Growth that does it differently, outside the Médoc and with more Merlot and Cabernet Franc than its peers. Guado al Tasso plays that role in Bolgheri. The 2023 is 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc and 26% Merlot, aged in new French oak barriques and bottled in July 2025. That lean on Cabernet Franc and Merlot is where the perfume and the silk come from; Wine Advocate calls it “a carefully calculated blend.”
The Night Niccolò Antinori Poured
In May we hosted Niccolò Antinori, Piero Antinori’s grandson and the next generation of the family, now in its 26th generation since 1385, for an evening with our collectors. The runaway best seller of that masterclass was the Cont’Ugo, Guado al Tasso’s pure Merlot.
And the Vermentino is the house white half our Italian collectors drink by the case. Antinori first made it in 1996, to bring back a grape native to this stretch of the Tyrrhenian coast.
James Tran
Artisan Wine & Spirits
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Why This Matters
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Two 97s on the 2023. Wine Spectator and Jeb Dunnuck, with Vinous, Wine Advocate, James Suckling and Falstaff at 96. |
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A new standard of finesse. Galloni’s words for the 2023 Guado al Tasso, 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc, 26% Merlot. |
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Our masterclass best seller. Cont’Ugo 2023, Wine Enthusiast 94 and Falstaff 93, at $68.99 or $62.99 by the case. |
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A house white at $25.97. Guado al Tasso Vermentino, James Suckling 91 and Falstaff 91, first made in 1996 to revive the coast’s native grape. |
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The House White
2025 Guado al Tasso Vermentino.
James Suckling 91. Falstaff 91.
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Guado al Tasso Vermentino Bolgheri DOC 2025
Bolgheri · Tuscan Coast
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91
James Suckling
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91
Falstaff
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Straw yellow with green glints. Bolgheri’s orientation and the closeness of the sea give it mineral notes, freshness and lift, which is why it pours like a coastal white should: bright, salty-edged, built for the table.
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James Suckling
91 Points
A well-defined vermentino, round and comforting. On the nose it displays sliced pears, sweet spices and some custard. Medium-bodied with fresh acidity. Round and creamy with a charming finish. Drink now.
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Falstaff · Othmar Kiem & Simon Staffler
91 Points
Bright silver with straw yellow, sparkling. Smells of white flowers, elderberry, orange peel, white peach, delicate. Fresh, juicy, clear on the palate, medium weight, slightly salty finish, fine. Tasted May 2026
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From The Antinori Cellar Notes
Intense on the nose with notes of citrus fruit, white flower blossoms and tropical fruit. The palate is savory with good persistence of flavors and finishes fresh with hints of citrus fruit.
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| Grape |
100% Vermentino |
| Origin |
Tenuta Guado al Tasso, Bolgheri |
| First Made |
1996, to revive the coast’s native grape |
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The Merlot · Our Masterclass Best Seller
2023 Guado al Tasso Cont’Ugo.
Wine Enthusiast 94. Jeb Dunnuck 93. Wine Spectator 93. Falstaff 93. Wine Advocate 92.
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Tenuta Guado al Tasso Cont’Ugo 2023
Bolgheri · Tuscan Coast
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94
Wine Enthusiast
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93
Jeb Dunnuck
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93
Wine Spectator
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93
Falstaff
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92
Wine Advocate
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The estate’s pure Merlot: hand-harvested, about 20 days on the skins, then a further 12 months in second-fill barriques before bottling in March 2025. Ruby red, small ripe red fruit, Mediterranean scrub and licorice root, with a velvety, refined tannic texture.
Every review on our page is below.
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Wine Enthusiast
94 Points
The nose is peppery and earthy, and also has a tangy, invigorating element like tart blackberries squished over damp soil and graphite. On the palate, layers of sweet, dark berries and dark chocolate create a sleek, acrobatic wine. Danielle Callegari, Dec 2025
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Jeb Dunnuck
93 Points
The 2023 Cont’Ugo, made entirely from Merlot, pours a deep, inky red hue and is aromatic and inviting, with notes of crushed lavender, plum compote, blackberry, sweet earth, mint, and fresh herbs. Full-bodied, supple, and rounded, it offers velvety tannins and a balanced core of acidity that maintains freshness and lift. Sourced from vineyards across the northern, central, and southern zones of the appellation, it captures both ripeness and levity. It’s a polished and expressive wine with good depth and length.
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Wine Spectator
93 Points
Rich, inviting and harmonious, this is laced with black cherry, blackberry, plum, vanilla, toast and earth aromas and flavors. Vibrant, with dense tannins. Expansive finish. Merlot. Best from 2026 through 2035. Bruce Sanderson, Oct 2025
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Falstaff · Othmar Kiem & Simon Staffler
93 Points
A rich ruby red colour with a dark core. A precise nose with notes of blackberry and blueberry, also fine savoury notes. Juicy on the attack and on the palate, finely meshed tannins, multi layered, fine chocolate on the finish, some tobacco. Tasted September 2025
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Wine Advocate · Monica Larner
92 Points
Made with 100% Merlot, the Marchesi Antinori 2023 Bolgheri Guado al Tasso Cont’Ugo reveals a soft, fleshy texture that coats the palate, carrying flavors of black cherry and blackberry with ease. The quality of the fruit is pristine and clean, sustaining the wine seamlessly from entry through the finish, though the mid-palate briefly slows under the weight of hot-vintage richness. Balance quickly returns, and the wine finishes smoothly. Monica Larner, Feb 2026
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| Grape |
100% Merlot |
| Farming |
Organic / practicing organic |
| Cellar |
About 20 days on skins; 12 months in second-fill barriques |
| Bottled |
March 2025 |
| Drink |
2026 to 2035 (Wine Spectator) |
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$68.99 / bottle
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$65.99 / bottle by the six save $18.00 on six
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$62.99 / bottle by the case save $72.00 on the case
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| Applies automatically at checkout, no code needed |
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The Flagship
2023 Guado al Tasso Bolgheri Superiore.
Wine Spectator 97. Jeb Dunnuck 97. Vinous 96. Wine Advocate 96.
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Tenuta Guado al Tasso Bolgheri Superiore 2023
Bolgheri Superiore · Tuscan Coast
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97
Wine Spectator
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97
Jeb Dunnuck
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96
Vinous
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96
Wine Advocate
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96
James Suckling
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96
Falstaff
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44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc, 26% Merlot. Each parcel picked and fermented separately, the best blocks selected in February, then new French oak barriques until bottling in July 2025.
All 6 reviews are below.
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Wine Spectator
97 Points
Expressive, yet classy rather than flamboyant, this red reveals black currant, blackberry, plum, cedar, vanilla, coffee and graphite aromas and flavors. Builds in intensity midpalate, with its vibrant acidity drifting and farming the endless aftertaste. Superb. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Best from 2029 through 2048. 2,250 cases imported.
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Jeb Dunnuck
97 Points
The 2023 Guado al Tasso, composed of 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 26% Merlot, pours an opaque purple/red hue and is somewhat reserved on opening before revealing layered aromatics of graphite, plum, ink, and dark cocoa. Full-bodied, it’s lush and polished, with velvety tannins, supple richness, and a seamless texture throughout. Despite challenges with peronospora earlier in the season, the harvest conditions allowed for excellent fruit quality. This is a strong, balanced vintage with the structure to age gracefully. Drink 2027-2050. Audrey Frick, May 2026
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Vinous · Antonio Galloni
96 Points
The 2023 Guado al Tasso is dynamic and wonderfully complex right out of the gate. I especially admire its energy. Mocha, rose petal, mint, blood orange and red plum race across the palate, all supported by brisk acids. Beams of tannin lend considerable shape and momentum. An impressive wine in every way, the 2023 points to a new standard of finesse at Guado al Tasso. (Drink between 2028-2043)
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Wine Advocate · Monica Larner
96 Points
A carefully calculated blend of 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc and 26% Merlot, the Marchesi Antinori 2023 Bolgheri Superiore Guado al Tasso shows lovely fruit ripeness followed by elegant volume and depth. The wine consistently delivers an all-rounder profile, offering a 360-degree presentation that engages the palate and senses with controlled intensity. In what can be considered an underdog vintage, this bottling stands out with unexpected finesse, confirming the estate’s ability to keep standards high in a classic Bolgheri Superiore expression. Drink 2027-2048.
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James Suckling
96 Points
A pristine wine with bright and ripe cassis, eucalyptus, vibrant citrus and graphite on the nose. On the full-bodied palate it shows supple, velvety tannins and crisp acidity with a good, tight, polished finish. Drinkable now, but best from 2027.
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Falstaff · Othmar Kiem & Simon Staffler
96 Points
Bright, intense ruby red. Appealing and elegant on the nose, with notes of rich wild berries and ripe cherries, along with subtle balsamic hints, cedarwood, and delicate, elegant earthy tones. On the palate, it is densely woven, with hearty, tightly knit tannins and distinct fruit; still a bit rough on the finish, so it’s best to lay it down and enjoy it in a few years. Tasted September 2026
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| Blend |
44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc, 26% Merlot |
| Cellar |
New French oak barriques; bottled July 2025 |
| Name |
Italian for “Badger’s Ford” |
| Drink |
2027 to 2050 (Jeb Dunnuck) |
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The Bottom Line
One Bolgheri estate, three ways in.
The Vermentino is $25.97. The Cont’Ugo is $68.99, or $65.99 by the six and $62.99 by the case. The 2023 Guado al Tasso, with two 97s, is $169.97.
The 2016 went fast. Don’t wait on the 2023.
Ciao!
— James Tran
Artisan Wine & Spirits
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