A Recommended Cab Sauv/Merlot/Syrah Blend from Italy: 2001 Guado al Tasso by Antinori

Having enjoyed Antinori's 2001 Tenute Marchesi CCR, 2001 Badia a Passignano and 2001 Tignanello several times, I picked up a bottle of the 2001 Guado al Tasso a little over a week ago from the Bacchus Int'l, Shangri-La shop just to try and opened it this past Monday. I understand it is a blend of 60% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot and 20% syrah (though I didn't know that at the time, thinking it was another sangiovese bottling).

In accordance with an Italian wine-loving friend's advice, I decanted it and let it breathe for around 2 hours before serving it, though I did take a little bit in the glass after 30 minutes just to see how it was. Initially, the aromas were (unsurprisingly) wrapped in youthful alcohol with nuances of pepper, pine, cedar and camphor. The agressive alcohol interfered with my tasting so I set it aside and waited until the 2 hours were up.

Thereafter, the alcohol had greatly subsided, allowing me to enjoy its plump, nicely-rounded, chewy, full-bodied, highly extracted, low-ish acid, sweet, ripe kirsch/cassis/raspberry-dominated primaries and unabashed notes of licorice, toffee, espresso and mild toasty oak/vanilla. I don't recall detecting in the mouth the pepper nuance in the nose.

Not having had much experience with Italian cab/merlot/syrah blends, if this was served blind to me, I surely would have guessed it to be a young Napa cab blend from a better than average year.

Nice, interesting, I wouldn't mind having it with a good, grilled rib-eye, but I honestly prefer the first-mentioned sangiovese-based wines of Antinori.

Still and all, at the price I got it for (around Php4500) I think it is an acceptable deal and would recommend this wine to those fond of Super Tuscans and predominantly cabernet sauvignon-based Napa reds.