Guidalberto (2nd Vin) 2013 150cl

Beautiful and bold, the 2013 Guidalberto is one of the best editions of this wine ever made. It shows great energy and momentum with dark fruit, spice, tobacco and black truffle that come together with impeccable unity. I love the heft and power that supports this wine at the back. Its tannic structure is firm but velvety and will continue to soften as the wine evolves over the next few years. I would suggest holding onto this bottle for three to four more years before popping the cork. When Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi made a state visit to Washington, D.C. this past April, he packed a few bottles for the trip. He selected four wines to share with President Barack Obama. According to media reports they were Sassicaia (the 2011 vintage), Ornellaia, Tignanello and a Brunello di Montalcino by Mastrojanni. The statesmen sampled the wines together and President Obama joked that it would be “insulting” not to taste them. During a press conference, he turned to Renzi and smiled: “I will give you, Matteo, a report on whether it is up to the quality we expect.” Born in Florence, Prime Minister Renzi made a sound selection of wines from his native Tuscany to share with the American president. Of these wines, none is more iconic than Sassicaia. Roughly one month prior to the White House wine summit, I was in Bolgheri at Tenuta San Guido to taste a few older vintages of Sassicaia including the 1982 and 1998. I was also able to taste preview samples of the excellent 2013 vintage and the challenging 2014 vintage.

A lean, athletic style, offering black cherry, plum and spice flavors. Firm yet balanced, with accents of earth and tobacco on the long finish. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Drink now through 2020. 20,000 cases made. –BS