The Story
The Guado al Tasso estate is located approximately 80 miles (130 kilometers) southwest of Florence, near the medieval town of Bolgheri in the upper part of the Tuscan Maremma. The property, which consists of some 2500 acres (1000 hectares), stretches from the Mediterranean coast to the first inland hills and includes - in addition to 750 acres (300 hectares) of vineyards - wheat, barley, and oat fields, and olive groves. The vineyards are located at an altitude between 150 and 200 feet (45 to 60 meters) above sea level on rocky and slightly calcareous soil. Guado al Tasso was produced for the same time in 1990.
Wine Information
Thanks to a mild winter and a higher than average spring temperatures, the 2007 growing season began significantly early in terms of the various phases of the development of the vegetation. The unusual and intense rains of the second half of August, however, cancelled out this seasonal anticipation of vine growth. The following month, September, was marked by fine weather, dry and with important temperature swings from daytime heat to nighttime coolness, which led to a perfect ripening of the different grape varieties. It also allowed a perfect timing of the picking dates, the choice of the ideal moment to begin harvesting.
VINIFICATION
Harvesting was carried out entirely by hand and the grapes picked into small, 15 kilogram (33 pound) packing cases for transport to the cellars, where the grapes were carefully selected by hand both before and after destemming. A soft pressing then followed, along with a five day cold maceration, at 50° Fahrenheit (10° centigrade), in stainless steel tanks. Fermentation proceeded with continually rising temperatures which peaked at 77° Fahrenheit (25° centigrade). Maceration continued after the end of fermentation, with a total period of skin contact of 23 days. The wine then went into new 60 gallon barrels of different of various kinds of oak and, before the end of the year, it had completed its malolactic fermentation. Aging continued for a total of 18 months, and during this period each individual barrel was constantly checked and kept under control. At the end of the aging period it was decided to bottle only the finest barrels, those which gave a completely integrated wine, released at 14.5° alcohol.
100% Cabernet Franc
