Tenuta Guado al Tasso, 2001 Bolgheri DOC Superiore
My constant companion works for a larger hotel chain. They were hosting a seminar by Southern Wine & Spirits of California on Antinori Wines. The above open bottle was (legally) retrieved from that tasting along with some quite informative handouts and a nifty CD with lots of stuff about Italian wine on it. (I love the maps.)
The wine itself was deep red in color, rubyish. It had no rough edges whatsoever. A dark fruity aroma, the oak blending into the background, a soft, Merlot-like feel on the tongue and gentle tannin all made this into an "easy drinker." The blend: 60% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 10% syrah, 14% alc. by vol. It did not affront; it accommodated. A lot of my friends and acquaintances would have purred "smooth." It really went well with the grilled tri-tip we had for dinner. It is most certainly a crowd-pleaser.
As far as my friend could tell, they wanted $58 a bottle for it and I don't know if that was the wholesale or retail price.
I think I've been in California too long. As much as I enjoyed this wine, it was too soft, too nondescript. It cried, "Drink me and I won't hurt you." Maybe the subtlety was just lost on me.