Tenuta San Guido Toscana Guidalberto 2024

Tenuta San Guido Toscana Guidalberto 2024 is a Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend from the makers of Sassicaia in Bolgheri, on the Tuscan coast. It shows currant, cherry and orange peel with soft, fine tannins. It was rated 95 POINTS by James Suckling. A great wine for anyone who likes polished, approachable Bordeaux-style reds.

In the glass it shows lifted herbal and floral aromas with bergamot and wild berries, then an elegant, fresh palate with a saline edge and a long, precise finish.

This is a wine for those of us who enjoy a Cabernet blend with real freshness and drinkability. It's a fantastic weekend wine, and a great match for a bowl of pasta with a slow-cooked meat sauce.

Guidalberto takes its name from Guidalberto della Gherardesca, the 19th-century ancestor who planned Bolgheri's famous avenue of cypress trees, the Viale dei Cipressi.

What it tastes like

The wine has a medium body and a juicy, open style. Antonio Galloni of Vinous found dark red fruit, cedar, pipe tobacco and dried herbs, and described it as supple and easygoing. Monica Larner noted spice and drive through the mid-palate, with bright acidity keeping it fresh. Decanter called it breezy, easy and fun, and James Suckling found it juicy and subtle. It's delicious.

Style at a glance

• Body: Medium
• Sweetness: Dry
• Acidity: Bright and fresh
• Tannin: Soft, fine and velvety
• Oak: Oak aged, adding a faint hint of cedar
• Style: Juicy, fresh Bordeaux-style blend

Food to enjoy this with

• Pappardelle or tagliatelle with a rich beef ragù
• Grilled pork chops with fennel and rosemary
• Roast sirloin of beef
• Lamb cutlets with salsa verde
• Pizza with salami and olives
• Duck breast with an orange glaze: an unexpected match, as the orange picks up the bergamot and orange peel in the wine

Who makes it

Tenuta San Guido is the Incisa della Rocchetta family's estate at Bolgheri, the home of Sassicaia. Guidalberto arrived with the 2000 vintage, after more than 20 years of analysis and experimentation.

The label shows the Oratory of San Guido. In the early 1800s, the wine's namesake built the area's first mills and churches, and his tall cypresses were first planted to mark the boundaries between crops. Their ornamental value came later.

The blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot is designed for aromatic richness and a soft palate, which Merlot can give even with relatively short ageing. Carlo Paoli, Head of Winemaking at Tenuta San Guido, says Guidalberto offers "full, satisfying drinkability", with the complexity and structure to age well.

For the 2024 vintage, the blend was 52% Cabernet Sauvignon and 48% Merlot.

About the vintage

Kobrand, Tenuta San Guido's US importer, reported a cool, rainy autumn and a mild, dry winter, followed by an early, even bud burst and good conditions at flowering. Summer was warm, with big swings between day and night temperatures.

After a late-summer heat spell, the Merlot needed crop thinning, while the Cabernet Sauvignon was unaffected. Dry, sunny weather from mid-September brought the fruit to balanced ripeness. Antonio Galloni noted that production was about 25% lower than usual.

Critic scores and ratings

• 95 POINTS – James Suckling – JamesSuckling.com, March 2026
  "Aromas of currants, cedar, mahogany, bark and orange peel say this is distinctly Tuscan. It's medium-bodied with softness and freshness that bring you back for more. Very soft yet fine tannins. Juicy and subtle. So delicious now. Drink or hold."
• 93 POINTS – Decanter – Decanter Premium, February 2026
  "Almost equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Guidalberto remains impressive value for the quality on offer, but buyers should be aware that 2024 is a lighter offering with less density of fruit than in previous years. But those who embrace the vintage will be rewarded with a juicy dark berry core with velvety tannins and flecks of cherry and pomegranate. Lifted herbal and floral aromatics make this so inviting. Breezy, easy and fun."
• 92 POINTS – Monica Larner – The Wine Advocate, February 2026
  "The Tenuta San Guido 2024 Guidalberto shows spice and drive through the mid-palate, opening with fragrant notes of cherry shaped by its equal blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is lively and punchy in character with lifted aromatics and fine definition, supported by bright acidity that keeps the palate fresh and agile. Tannins show a touch of dryness, adding grip and structure, while the overall impression remains energetic and easy to appreciate."

When to drink it

It drinks beautifully now, and James Suckling recommends you drink or hold. Monica Larner gives a drinking window of 2026 to 2032, so enjoy it now and through to 2032.

Technical details

Where to buy

The Tenuta San Guido Toscana Guidalberto 2024 is available online at thewineryonline.co.nz for delivery within New Zealand. You can also buy it at our Queenstown and Arrowtown wine stores, alongside a large range of New Zealand and international wine. Online and in both stores you can select a mixed case from a large range of wines.

Questions we are often asked

What grapes are in Guidalberto 2024?

Guidalberto 2024 is a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon and 48% Merlot from Tenuta San Guido.

Who makes Guidalberto?

Guidalberto is made by Tenuta San Guido in Bolgheri, the same estate that makes Sassicaia. Its first vintage was 2000.

Is Guidalberto 2024 ready to drink?

Yes. James Suckling found it delicious already, and The Wine Advocate's window runs from 2026 to 2032.

What does Guidalberto 2024 taste like?

Expect cassis, cherry, bergamot and orange peel, with a medium body, soft fine tannins and fresh acidity.

What food goes with Guidalberto?

Tenuta San Guido's importer suggests pasta with meat sauce, grilled pork or beef, and roasts.

Where can I buy Tenuta San Guido Toscana Guidalberto 2024?

The Winery sells Tenuta San Guido Toscana Guidalberto 2024 online at thewineryonline.co.nz for delivery within New Zealand. You can also buy it in our Queenstown and Arrowtown wine stores.