| Score: |
93 AG.
"The 2015 Cont'Ugo, 100% Merlot, from the Antinori family's Guado al Tasso property, captures all the radiance and natural intensity of the year. Sweet red cherry, pomegranate, spice and floral notes abound. What is most surprising about the 2015 is the level of aromatic freshness that Antinori has preserved. There is plenty of depth and textural richness, but the redder color and brighter fruit profile are both the result of keeping more leaf cover, picking earlier and a lighter hand in vinification. This is a fabulous wine for the vintage. Antinori has made terrific wines at their Guado al Tasso property for years. Even so, I was completely blown away by what I sampled in two recent tastings. The move towards a bit more finesse and less blowsiness in the wines is incredibly apparent. Leaving more foliage in the field and picking a bit earlier are some of the choices there are beginning to yield wines that offer notable freshness while still capturing all of the radiance that makes Bolgheri such a special place to grow grapes and make wine." Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com, Jul 2017 |