This property is located in the ancient lands of the Etruscans, today known as Maremma. Over the past twenty years, this coastal region of Tuscany has emerged from history to become the epicenter of the Super Tuscan movement. Warmer than the rest of Tuscany, Maremma is well suited for Cabernet Sauvignon.
This is a luxury wine, no doubt about it. It is probably not a shocking revelation, but to make this style of wine takes a great deal of investment capital. Winery owner Filippo Mazzei has been up to the challenge, and it shows. His family has been in the winemaking trade for centuries and owns the historic Castello di Fonterutoli in Chianti Classico.
90% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the remainder Cabernet Franc, the Belguardo is aged in new French barrels for about a year and a half. This is an aggressive posture for a winemaker since it demands very high-quality grapes with a precise degree of ripeness and concentration. It’s a style that most people associate with high-end bottles from Napa Valley, but it also happens to work in Maremma too.
The wind is broad but surprisingly deft. Aromas of currant and burnt cedar are knitted together with spices and black tar. On the palate, the tannins sweep across the palate and leave an impression of lavender and incense. At the heart of this bottling is a well of dark fruit. Rich and full-bodied, this still manages to offer complexity and layers of fruit flavors. The finish opens with fruit and ends with a puff of smoke.