'98 Antinori Guado Al Tasso.

This year's blend consisted of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. This bottle is showing great straighforward fruit, lots of cassis, sweet cranberry and some vanillin for lace. The palate is medium to full with nicely smooth tannin, good intensity of fruit. It almost seems "new world-ish" it's so clean and forward. It will certainly gain complexity over the next 5-8 years-well made, just a bit simple at the moment.

Jason - the back of my bottle said 60% Cabernet Sauvignon/30% Merlot/10% Syrah blend. This wine improved considerably from the first time I tried it in 2002 at a tasting.

• 1998 Antinori Bolgheri Guado Al Tasso - Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri (7/3/2005)
  Deep purple in color; All elements in this wine were perfectly integrated with just a hint of secondary characteristics. In the middle dark fruit, smoke and a very slight herbal element. I don't usually use the words sexy and gorgeous to describe a wine but this one merited those descriptors. Great focus. A 60% Cabernet Sauvignon/30% Merlot/10% Syrah blend. [~$50 on release; Decanted about thirty minutes but an hour may have been better; Drinking well now but should hold] (93 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker!

I really like this wine but at current release prices (i.e. current vintages) I just can't stomach the price tag.

Agreed on that point. I bought the 98 and 99 but won't buy them again.

Oops, old mistake.

Wow, what a great wine. Great depth, class and structure. Deep purple color. Incredible complex nose that I absolutly loved. There was so much going on it was hard to discern what individual aromas were coming out of the glass. In looking through other notes, I would say it's a mix of violet, cassis, coffee, chocolate, dark fruits, smoke and grafite. This all follows through when tasted with in incredibly smooth velvety feel and long finish. 95pts.