Tenuta San Guido : Le Difese 2021

A Tuscan red wine that harmoniously combines aromatic expression with a rare delicateness

The estate

An unmissable name among the great wines of Tuscany, located between Livourne and Grosseto, the Tenuta San Guido estate was created from the marriage between the Marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta and Clarice della Gherardesca. In 1942, Mario decided to plant Cabernet Sauvignon vines in Tuscany, creating Sassicaia a few years later. In 1983, Tenuta San Guido was the first estate in Italy to be granted its own appellation with the consecration of the D.O.C Bolgheri.

The vineyard

Produced since 2002, Tenuta San Guido's Difese is a Tuscan wine made from vineyards planted on a mosaic of soils composed of limestone, stones, pebbles and partly clay. Located between 100 and 300 metres above sea level, these vineyards face west/southwest.

The vintage

A particularly cold winter preceded a spring marked by frosts which had an impact on the vineyard and yields. From mid-May onwards, the warmth and sunny days gave way to a normal June and then a very hot July. The rainy episode of August 16th was beneficial for the vineyard, ensuring optimal phenolic ripening until the harvest.

Winemaking and ageing

The grapes were harvested by hand, then hand-sorted before being gently destemmed. Alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel tanks. Pellicular maceration for 14 to 18 days depending on the grape variety, accompanied by frequent pumping over and delestage to ensure optimal extraction. Malolactic fermentation in steel vats. Aged for 15 months in French and American oak barrels, of which 40% were new, 40% were two wines and 20% were three and four wines. An additional three months of bottle ageing was carried out before the wine was released on the market.

Blend

Le Difese 2021 from Tenuta San Guido is the result of a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese.