Le Difese

Le Difese is one of the little brothers of Sassicaia, the original "Super Tuscan" which has done so well it earned its own appellation: Bolgheri Sassicaia. Being the latest addition at Tenuta San Guido, the aim is to produce a wine which expresses the essence of Cabernet Sauvignon grown on Sassicaia’s land without renouncing its Tuscan’s backbone: Sangiovese.

SOILS

The soils have varied and complex features with a strong presence of limestone, areas rich in marl and pebble, as well as partially clay. They are situated at an altitude between 100 and 300 meters above sea level, with a south/south-west exposure.

WEATHER TRENDS

2021 was a very good vintage where the grapes achieved optimum ripeness. For the first time the blend was changed using less Cabernet Sauvignon and more Sangiovese to make it more accessible in its youth and a great introduction to Sassiscaia.
Le Difese is a convivial wine well suited for food pairing and a must have for supertuscan lovers.

After a somewhat rainy autumn 2020 with mild temperatures, the winter was instead very harsh, especially due to the arrival of the polar "Burian" which caused the column of the mercury below zero. A favorable situation that allowed the vegetative stop of the vines and helped to naturally eliminate most of the insects harmful to the vine. However, after a first timid beginning of spring towards the end of March, with a rise in temperatures that caused the buds of the more precautious vines to swell (such as Sangiovese and Merlot), a disturbance of cold air of Atlantic origin reported intense cold with temperatures close to zero ° C. This condition has compromised some primary buds of the early vines, causing a loss of production. The rest of the spring was somewhat rainy until mid-May, when beautiful sunny days arrived. June was fairly regular, while July was hot and dry. The high temperatures required an intervention with kaolin (caolino), to protect the leaves from the sun rays and avoid stress to the plants. The dry heat characterized the first middle of August, but on August 16 th a Balkan disturbance brought rain and stabilized temperatures on the seasonal norm. This change was providential and allowed the vines to recover, favoring the phenolic ripening of the grapes. The ripening was perfect, and the harvest took place at a good pace and during the cooler hours of the day. The grapes reached a perfect ripeness without sugary excesses and with a beautiful pulp and well lignified seeds. The hand-picked grapes arrived in the cellar with a quality level well above all expectations. Respectable acidity and PH and a beautiful balance of musts, a good structure but harmonious and fruity at the same time. The wines are pleasant with a non-invasive structure, a good balance in terms of acidity and density, combined with soft and well-integrated tannins. Beautiful spiciness.

WINEMAKING

Careful selection and sorting of the bunches by hand. Soft destemming of the grapes.
Primary fermentation took place in stainless steel vats at a controlled temperature (27-28°C). Maceration on the skins for 13-15 days for the Cabernet Sauvignon and for about 14-18 days for the Sangiovese, with successive phases of pumping over and frequent deléstage to stimulate aromatic extraction and soften the tannins. Malolactic fermentation was carried out in steel and concluded towards the end of November.

At the end of the malolactic fermentation, the wine remains in steel for about 3-4 months and temperatures are kept around 10 ° C. Periodic decanting is carried out to eliminate the sediments. The wine then undergoes an aging in wood, with French oak barriques previously used for Sassicaia and Guidalberto, for an average period ranging from 6 to 8 months. At the end of the aging period in wood, the wine returns into the steel tanks where the temperature is stabilized for about 20 days at around 4-5 ° C for the necessary tartaric stabilization, before bottling.

SCORES

Le Difese in 2021 sports a majority of Sangiovese – 55% – in a break from the traditional 70/30 split in favour of Cabernet Sauvignon. Third-generation at Tenuta San Guido, Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta, explained that this decision was made to enhance the wine's 'local Tuscan' character, and to improve its drinkability early on as 'a first step into the Tenuta San Guido world.' While the Cabernet is grown on the estate, the Sangiovese is sourced, as always, from long–term partners based in Chianti Rufina. Bright, incredibly vibrant red, black and blue fruits introduce subtle, finely grained tannins with notes of wood and chocolate. It's at once juicy, tangy and crunchy, with good ripeness and great acidity. Matured for eight months in used barriques. - 91 points Decanter