Antinori Tenuta Guado Al Tasso Cont'Ugo Rosso DOC 2022

Antinori Tenuta Guado Al Tasso Cont'Ugo Rosso DOC is a varietal Merlot from Bolgheri, on the Tuscan coast.

Guado al Tasso, whose name means the badger's ford, is the Antinori estate in the Bolgheri appellation, a natural amphitheatre of low hills opening west to the Tyrrhenian Sea. Sea breezes and free draining alluvial soils define the place, and the constant air movement keeps the vineyards healthy through a hot Maremma summer. Bolgheri is a young district by Italian standards: the vines that made its name were planted from the 1940s onward and the DOC was only created in 1994. Merlot took to the coastal soils quickly and is now one of the appellation's staples. The wine is matured in oak before release.

Serve at around 18°C with grilled meats, roast veal or a mushroom risotto; it drinks well on release and holds for several years.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.

Type: Red Wine
Style: Medium-bodied, Supple, Fruit-driven
Grape Varietal: Merlot
Tastes Like: Comparable to a Right Bank Bordeaux Merlot, but riper and more Mediterranean in accent
Alcohol Percentage: 14%
Closure: Cork
Size: 750mL
Appellation: Bolgheri DOC
Region: Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy
Terroir: Free draining alluvial soils in an amphitheatre of low hills open to the Tyrrhenian Sea
Aging: Matured in oak before release
Serving Temperature: 18℃ – Serve slightly below room temperature

Guado al Tasso, whose name means the badger’s ford, is the Antinori estate in the Bolgheri appellation on the Tuscan coast, a natural amphitheatre of low hills opening west to the Tyrrhenian Sea. Sea breezes and free draining alluvial soils define the place, and the constant air movement keeps the vineyards healthy through a hot Maremma summer.

Bolgheri is a young district by Italian standards: the vines that made its name were planted from the 1940s onward and the DOC was only created in 1994. Merlot took to the coastal soils quickly and is now one of the appellation’s staples. Cont’Ugo is the estate’s varietal expression of the grape, matured in oak before release and made in a rounder, more immediately approachable register than the flagship blend.

Meat: Perfect with grilled steak, roast veal or braised beef
Poultry: Excellent with roast duck, guinea fowl or quail
Mushroom: Pairs beautifully with mushroom risotto or porcini dishes
Pasta: Ideal with pappardelle al ragù or baked pasta

Pecorino Toscano: Firm and gently salty, the regional match for the wine
Parmigiano Reggiano: Nutty and savoury, complementing the wine’s oak
Fontina: Soft and buttery, balanced by the wine’s freshness
Asiago: Mild and firm, working beautifully with its supple tannin

Peposo alla Fornacina (Tuscan Peppered Beef Stew)

Ingredients (Serves 4–6):

• 1.2kg beef shin, cut into large cubes
• 750ml young Tuscan red wine
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
• 2 tbsp whole black peppercorns, roughly cracked
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• Coarse salt
• Grilled bread, to serve

Instructions:

1. Place the beef in a heavy casserole with the garlic, cracked peppercorns, bay and rosemary.
2. Stir through the tomato paste and pour over the wine so the meat is just covered.
3. Bring to a bare simmer on the stovetop, then cover tightly.
4. Cook in a low oven at 140℃ for 3 hours, without stirring, until the beef is completely tender.
5. Remove the lid and return to the oven for a further 30 minutes to reduce and darken the sauce.
6. Season with coarse salt only at this point, tasting as you go.
7. Rest for 15 minutes and serve with grilled bread to mop up the sauce.

Said to have been cooked by the kiln workers of Impruneta, Peposo is a fine match for Cont’Ugo. The Merlot’s ripe, supple fruit takes the edge off the aggressive black pepper, while its coastal freshness and soft tannin keep the long-braised beef from feeling heavy.