A Week in Tuscany

Whiled away a couple of days in Chianti and Bolgheri last month, basking in sun and wine. Harvest season is always special as wineries buzz with activity, and the bready smells of fermentation immediately put you in an excellent mood.

We visited Antinori nel Chianti Classico, Guado al Tasso, Ornellaia, Grattamacco, Argentiera, and stayed at Chiappini, a smaller winery next door to Ornellaia. All our visits were lovely, with Guado al Tasso being the most charming – our guide was personable, the property was gorgeous, the wines were delicious, and we even got to sample their cured meats that came from the pigs they rear on site.

As a big fan of Super Tuscans, this was just an absolutely wonderful experience. Sharing some photos (3 from each winery visited) and tasting notes, happy to answer questions about visiting Bolgheri and where to eat!

Photos shot on a Fujifilm X100VI.

2022 Guado al Tasso: Popped and poured. Nose of red plums, redcurrants, and red cherries. Similar bouquet of fresh red fruits on the palate, though it was very tightly wound and not giving very much. Naturally needs more time to breathe given its youth. Medium body, acidity, and tannins, with a medium length finish.

2018 Guado al Tasso: Popped and poured. Nose of redcurrants, blueberries, tomato leaf, and a hint of vanilla. On the palate, cooked tomatoes, basil, and a hint of black pepper starting to develop. An interesting, savoury mouthful. Medium body, tannins, and acidity. Really long finish of over a minute.

2012 Guado al Tasso: Popped and poured. On the nose, an alluring bouquet of redcurrants, blueberries, fresh tomatoes, and a touch of vanilla. On the palate, a brilliant, silky mouthful of black and redcurrants, with some black pepper. Medium plus body, medium plus tannins, and low acidity. Beautiful long finish of over a minute. My favorite of all the wines tasted on the trip.

2022 Tignanello: Coincidentally we had this same bottle at a restaurant the night before visiting the winery, so will give tasting notes based on that bottle which sat in a decanter over a 2-3 hour meal. Nose of blackcurrant, red cherry, vanilla, tomato leaf, and a touch of hay. Beautiful medley of black and redcurrants on the palate. Medium body, medium plus tannins, and high acidity. Long finish. I enjoyed how fresh and fruity it was at the beginning, but as it decanted, it became less interesting as the lack of age showed.

2022 Ornellaia: Slow oxed in the bottle for 3 hours. Nose of black plums, dark cherries, tobacco, and vanilla. On the palate, bitter dark chocolate, and again, black plums and dark cherries. Rich and silky, envelopes your tongue with grace. Big tannins, big body, and medium plus acidity. Long finish of over a minute. This was my first experience with Ornellaia, and whilst great, I was slightly underwhelmed, perhaps expecting more for the price. Unsure if I would shell out for a bottle in normal circumstances.

2021 Grattamacco Bolgheri Superiore: Slow oxed in the bottle for 4-5 hours, served in a Zalto glass which of course elevated the experience. Nose of redcurrants, strawberries, and red plums, slightly grassy. Similar notes on the palate. Big tannins, medium body, and high acidity. Quite a long finish.

2022 Argentiera Bolgheri Superiore: Popped and poured. Nose of black plum, blueberries, and toasted cinnamon. On the palate, blackcurrant, red plum, and milk chocolate. Medium plus body, big tannins, and high acidity. Nice long finish. As a side note, I found their third and second labels very similar to Ornellaia’s, all of which are great value for money.

2022 Guado de’ Gemoli: First label of Chiappini, a charming little winery adjacent to Ornellaia and its Masseto plots. Pretty decent terroir, hey? A Cab Sav dominant blend with some Merlot and Cab Franc, this bottle was probably slow oxed throughout the day, and had a nose of red plum, and raspberry. The palate was a nice mix of redcurrants and dried strawberries. Medium body, tannins, and medium high acidity. Pleasant long finish. We liked it enough to bring home a 2013 vintage, as well as a 2019 Cab Franc. They also do Merlots, which in hindsight, we probably should have gotten!