LE DIFESE - Tenuta San Guido 2019
Tenuta San Guido is much better known by the name of its most famous wine: Sassicaia. The estate is located in the Tuscany region of Maremma, Italy, and has its own single-estate DOC appellation (Bolgheri Sassicaia) applied to its flagship wine. Sassicaia, one of the original Super Tuscan wines, is made from Cabernet Sauvignon with a small amount of Cabernet Franc. The grapes that go into making Sassicaia are picked just before reaching full maturity, which contributes to the finesse and fragrance as well as to lower alcohol content. After two weeks of fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the wine is aged for around 24 months in French oak barrels, of which around 20% are new.
Tenuta San Guido also makes Guidalberto and Le Difese from declassified fruit from Sassicaia and other vineyards on the estate; these two wines are classified IGT Toscana. In collaboration with the Santadi Co-op, the estate also owns Agricola Punica in Sardinia.
Tenuta San Guido Le Difese 2019 (“The Tusks”) takes its name from the teeth of the wild boar that roam the Tuscan hills. It is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (70%) and Sangiovese (30%). Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks and maceration lasts around 12 to 15 days for Cabernet Sauvignon and 15 to 18 days for Sangiovese. It is then aged for 8 months in French oak barrels of third use that contained Sassicaia, and for another three months in the bottle.
Cépages : 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Sangiovese