We are at the end of October in a fully autumnal climate, like being in a painting: cypresses, olive trees and vineyards … and vineyards. We are in Tuscany region of Bolgheri, a land that gave birth to Sassicaia about fifty years ago thanks to the Marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta. With him, Bolgheri was later recognized as a second “Graves”, a typical Bordolese terroir that could happily accommodate (and then assemble) the great French vines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, as well as Syrah and Petit Verdot.
Bolgheri is therefore a succession of internationally renowned wineries, some historical, others more experimental: there is truly plenty of choice.
Not so far from the enchanting village of Bibbona, I visited the Guado al Melo winery.
This winery is located on the road between Bolgheri and Castagneto Carducci: it is a 17-hectare farm created and managed by the family of Professor Attilio Scienza, who acquired the company in 1998, and his son Michele with his wife Annalisa. 120K bottles per year including a vermentino and several red wines.
The barriques are kept in an underground cave with a constant natural temperature of around 16 degrees (a rarity in this area).
Finally the tasting session: let’s start with the white Airone (vermentino) followed by the two red DOC Bolgheri Antillo and Rute to conclude with the two peculiar and enchanting red wine Jassarte (Toscana IGT Rosso) and Atis (DOC Bolgheri Superiore).
Jassarte is produced only in exceptional years from a single vineyard with about thirty (!) varieties. It is therefore a unique piece of art, impossible to replicate from year to year: the color is an amazing ruby red despite 24 months of aging in barrique on the lees. The scent is a combination of fruity (wild berries) and spicy (licorice, tobacco) that gains value over time (a wine that is definitely worth 10-12 years in cellar).
The second fairytale wine is the Atis: made by a strictly Bordeaux formula (Cabernet Sauvignon completed with Cabernet Franc and Merlot ) it amazes for its well-defined organoleptic note: 100% blueberry. Wanting also blackberry. Very intense, with enormous aging potential (also aged for24 months in oak barrels and 12 months in bottle) to be preserved without delay for about ten years.
We are happy at the end of the tour (there is also a museum and lots of explanatory panels on the well-made wine theme) and obviously we leave the winery with a few more bottles in the car.
