Tenuta Belguardo was purchased in the 1990s after the Mazzei family identified the potential for producing quality wines on the estate. In line with their philosophy of innovation, the family implemented an intense re-planting programme, carefully selecting grape varieties and clones. The estate is situated in the Maremma between the hills of Grosseto and Montiano, and within the official Morellino di Scansano viticultural zone. The estate is only 10km from the coast which plays an important role in the microclimate of the vineyards which cover 60 hectares and are planted with Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Alicante, Vermentino, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and other indigenous varieties.
Vineyards location: 70-130 m (230-426 ft) a.s.l.; S-SW exp.
Soil: Mainly Sandstone and Limestone
Vineyards age: 17 years
Training system: Spur cordon-training
Nr. of vines per hectare: 6.600 plants
Harvest: Hand picked from September 7th (Syrah), September 9th (Sangiovese)
Vinification: Maceration of the skin for 1 hour (Syrah), 2 hours (Sangiovese)
Fermentation temperature: 14 – 16 °C
Ageing: 3 months on the lees in stainless steeel tanks
Bottling: February 2021
After the heavy rains of November and December 2019, 2020 brought mild temperatures and low rainfall from January to July, with the exception of late March when bud fertility was partially set back by sharp drops in temperature. August was hotter than average, with temperatures rising to 37-38°C (98.5-100.5°F) for several days, bringing forward the beginning of the harvest to 27 August. Showers on the 30 and 31 August slowed down the ripening process, allowing the rest of the harvest to proceed at a more regular and orderly pace.
All in all, the weather pattern over the year allowed the grapes to ripen well, leading to a good yield of healthy fruit. There was an excellent concentration of aromatic properties in the white wines; the red wines had good alcohol levels and remarkable colour intensity, thanks in part to considerable diurnal temperature ranges which raised aromatic and polyphenolic levels in the grapes. Overall, the 2020 harvest was high in quality, a result that amply made up for a dip in yield compared to the previous year.
Beginning of the harvest: August 27th
End of the harvest: September 24th
Rainfalls (sum of rainfall between April 1st and September 30th): 270 mm
Temperature Index (sum of average daily temperatures from April 1st to September 30th): 3815 °C
Evaluation: Very good
An attractive pale pink in the glass, with notes of juicy strawberry and cranberry and flowery hints of cherry blossom and rose petals. On the palate the wine is poised with fantastic freshness while the lees ageing adds to the mouthfeel and elevates the succulent red fruit flavours.
Starters, cold meats, salads, tomato based pasta, pizza, fish and vegetarian dishes
Maremma, Tuscany
50% Sangiovese
50% Syrah
Biodegradable Normacorc
13.50 %
6.6 g/l
Yes
Yes
