Guado al Tasso Il Bruciato, Bolgheri

Il Bruciato is the wine that brought Antinori's Bolgheri estate within easy reach. It was first made in 2002, one of the hardest vintages Guado al Tasso had faced - a year that forced a younger, fresher style of wine, and proved good enough to become a permanent fixture. Today it's the estate's most approachable red, carrying the Antinori name on the Tuscan coast without the flagship price. It's a Bordeaux-style blend built for Bolgheri's warm, sea-cooled climate: Cabernet Sauvignon at its core, with Merlot and Syrah filling out the middle and adding spice. The constant breezes off the nearby coast keep the fruit fresh through the summer heat, and the wine sees only a short spell in French oak barriques - enough to round the edges, not so much that it buries the fruit. The result is generous, polished Bolgheri - ripe blackberry and dark cherry, sweet spice, and a savoury edge of coffee and Mediterranean herb - with supple tannins and a clean, fresh finish. Serve at 16-18°C.