The salty breeze, the heady scent of Mediterranean scrub. Welcome to the Tuscan coast. This is where Tenuta Guado al Tasso's Bolgheri DOC Cont'Ugo is born, a perfect synthesis of this extraordinary place. The Bolgheri area is not only a beautiful postcard landscape, but a veritable “amphitheatre”, where the morphology of the territory creates an exceptional microclimate. The wine-making history of this area is relatively young - the Bolgheri DOC was only established in 1983 for whites and rosés, extended to reds in 1994 - but in a very short time it has achieved worldwide fame, thanks to an enlightened vision and alluvial soils, rich in skeleton and clay, perfect for international grape varieties. It is no coincidence that this is the home of the famous “Super Tuscans”, wines that have rewritten the rules of Italian winemaking. Cont'Ugo is 100% Merlot. Here, thanks to the mild climate and generous sunshine, this Bordeaux grape variety expresses a softness and fruitiness that is often not found elsewhere. The attention to quality is obsessive, as is traditional for a historic company such as Marchesi Antinori, owner of Guado al Tasso: the vineyards are located about 50 metres above sea level, and harvesting is strictly manual. The selected grapes are vinified in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats, with maceration lasting about 20 days to extract colour and structure. Then comes the ageing process, which makes all the difference: the wine matures for about 12 months in barriques, some new and some second-use, before resting for several more months in the bottle. In the glass, Cont'Ugo has a beautiful intense ruby red colour. Bringing the glass to the nose, you immediately perceive a broad and enveloping bouquet: intense hints of ripe red fruits, such as cherry, currant and raspberry, clearly emerge, followed by fascinating balsamic and Mediterranean scrub notes. It is precisely this vegetal freshness that gives it an extra edge. Tasting it confirms its great harmony: the body is full, the palate is juicy and vibrant, supported by excellent freshness and an almost salty savouriness. The tannins are velvety and silky, never aggressive, and accompany a long and persistent finish that immediately entices you to take another sip.