Bolgheri Merlot DOC "Cont'Ugo" 2022 - Tenuta Guado al Tasso, Antinori

Climate

The 2022 growing season in Bolgheri was afflicted by drought conditions from the end of winter throughout most of summer. These climatic conditions triggered early budbreak and the following phenological phases of flowering, fruit set and veraison took place ahead of schedule. Overall, summer temperatures were hot. A series of summer storms moved across the area providing beneficial moisture for the grapes’ most critical ripening period. At harvest time, the fruit was perfectly healthy with a good balance between sugar levels and acidity and presented an outstanding aromatic expression.

Merlot berries for Cont’Ugo were harvested between August 30th and September 9th, about 10 days earlier than seasonal averages.

Vinification

After the grapes were hand harvested and carefully selected on sorting tables, the berries were transferred into temperature controlled stainless steel vats where alcoholic fermentation and maceration on the skins took place over a period of about 20 days. Fermentation temperatures were adjusted based on the ripeness of the grapes: lower temperatures were chosen, about 25 °C (77 °F), to preserve and enhance aromatic freshness while higher temperatures, up to 30 °C (86 °F), were applied to boost extraction of phenolic compounds and enhance structure. The different lots were separated according to their individual characteristics and then transferred into barriques where malolactic fermentation was completed by the end of the year. The finest lots were blended and transferred back into second fill barriques for an additional 12-month period of aging, then bottled. Cont’Ugo was bottled during the last half of January 2024.

Historical Data

The Guado al Tasso estate is located in the small, but prestigious, Bolgheri appellation on the coast Tuscany’s Upper Maremma, some 60 miles (100 kilometers) to the southwest of the city of Florence. This appellation has a relatively short history (it was created in 1994) but can boast a worldwide fame as a reference point wine on the international scene. The estates covers an area of about 320 hectares (790 acres) planted to vines, in a splendid plain surrounded by hills known as “the Bolgheri amphitheater” for its particular geographical conformation. The Guado al Tasso vineyards consist principally of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Vermentino grapes; this last cultivated with both with white and red varieties. There is also a small presence of Grenache, Petit Verdot, Viognier and Sémillon. They enjoy a mild climate due to the nearby presence of the Mediterranean Sea, constant breezes mitigate summer heat, and the rigors of winter clear the sky and maintain a high degree of solar light and radiation.

Cont’Ugo is produced exclusively from Merlot grapes in order to interpret the territory of Bolgheri from a new perspective. The vineyards, situated at an altitude between 150 and 200 feet (45-60 meters) above sea level on clayey-loam soils prevalently of alluvial origin, gave Cont’Ugo great depth and complexity while conserving the fragrance and richness of fruit which are typical of Merlot.