2024 Tenuta San Guido - Toscana Rosso IGT Guidalberto (750ml)

Guidalberto takes its name from Guidalberto della Gherardesca, a family ancestor who, in the early 1800s, built the estate's first mills and churches and planted the long double row of cypress trees, the Viale dei Cipressi, that still lines the property today, originally meant simply to mark boundaries between crops. The wine honoring him arrived in 2000, the product of more than two decades of experimentation by the same family behind Sassicaia, conceived as a distinct wine in its own right rather than a "second wine." Made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, rather than Sassicaia's Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, Guidalberto is built for aromatic richness and palate softness, qualities head winemaker Carlo Paoli notes Merlot can deliver even with comparatively short aging.

Grapes for each variety are harvested and vinified separately in temperature-controlled steel, then blended and aged in a mix of French and American oak before further refinement in bottle. The 2024 blend leans a bit more on Cabernet Sauvignon than usual, given the growing season's challenges for Merlot, landing around 58% Cabernet Sauvignon and 42% Merlot.

The wine offers fragrant cherry aromatics alongside succulent dark red fruit, cedar, spice, pipe tobacco, and dried herbs. It's lively and punchy on the palate, with bright acidity and a touch of dry, gripping tannin that keeps things energetic. Approachable now, it's best enjoyed over the near to medium term, paired with grilled meats or roasted poultry.