Community Tasting Note

sfwinelover1 Likes this wine:

Saturday, December 23, 2023 - One off ($99.99) from the big box wine store a few months ago. On the nose and palate, fairly vibrant notes of char, blackberry paste, black currants, mixed ground spice, mocha and a light note of rose petals. Deep crimson, full bodied, thick legs. Powerful tannins and acidity, very present at the opening which seemed to subside after about 45 minutes before returning to prominence, no heat. VG++ persistence and intensity, VG complexity. First bottle of Guado I’ve bought and consumed, although I have several recent vintages in my collection and have had the ‘10, ‘15 and ‘16, all young but outstanding, at tastings. This came out of the bottle singing, with great balance, length and a lovely Tuscan savoriness, lost half a step with about 45 minutes of air (perhaps a misperception, because on recorking, had its initial intensity which it retained over 3 nights?) then was a stellar drink for 3 nights, both on its own and paring exquisitely with a broiled veal chop and roasted vegetables. I can see why some of my cult cab-loving friends gravitate to this over other BDX IGTs—there’s a power and focus to the fruit which seems more typical to our shores than Tuscany’s—but there’s that wonderful Italian earthy savoriness and a BDX-like elegance and deep structure which would have made this geographically impossible for me to place if tasting blind. If this wine couldn’t quite get to the level of the fairly recent ‘97 Alceo, it was right there with other recent Cabs-LB BDX blends like the ‘06 Ovid, the ‘08 Blankiet, the ‘12 Morlet Estate and closer to its home, the ‘10 Rauzan, at a lower price point than any. Terrific freshness and lift give the impression that, while this is likely drinking at or close to peak, it should hold well for 5+ years. I’ve been drinking a bit less Italian lately—my Napa infatuation is back on the upswing—and a couple of recent LB-BDX IGTs of similar age and similar, though slightly lower price points, the ‘09 Lupicaia and the ‘10 Argiano Solengo, were ever so slightly disappointing (both 92s), but this gave an ample boost to my love affair with the Land of Boot, and Tuscany in particular, continuing to burn bright. Wish I’d bought the second bottle of this that was available, but not as if I’ll be at a loss for IGTs any time soon. As an aside, I continue to be increasingly impressed with this vintage, in Napa and Tuscany, and am finding so many of the better cuvees in the ‘04-‘10 run to be drinking wonderfully. 96+

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