Tenuta San Guido Le Difese 2022
Volume: 750ml
“A soft and youthful wine that also includes selected lots from Sassicaia and Guidalberto. Its approachable style and delicate structure make it extremely enjoyable even in the early months of bottle ageing.” – Carlo Paoli, Head of Winemaking at Tenuta San Guido
Le Difese 2022 is a blend of 55% Sangiovese and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, the former brought in from long-standing partners based in Chianti and Chianti Rufina – ‘In Bolgheri it’s not easy to find Sangiovese,’ third-generation Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta explained. 2022 saw slightly lower production than 2021 due to a warm spring and a rainy autumn. Macerations were shorter than previous years, and the wine retains the same blend as last year as part of the estate’s continuing plans to make Le Difese approachable almost immediately and give it its own Tuscan identity. Bright red and purple scents with a creamy backdrop and herbal touches lead to a soft and textured palate full of fresh, tangy cherry and dark hedgerow berries. Ripe, precise and sapid with a long, breezy, balsamic finish, Le Difese should be enjoyed over the next decade. – Decanter 92 pts
Wine Ratings
93
Wine Enthusiast
92
Decanter
Winemaking
The Le Difese 2022 harvest by Tenuta San Guido was carried out by hand, beginning on September 4 for cabernet sauvignon and September 16 for sangiovese, and ending in late September. After rigorous selection in the vineyard and then on a sorting table at the winery, the grapes underwent very gentle crushing and destemming. Alcoholic fermentation took place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks between 26 and 27°C, with maceration lasting 12 to 14 days for cabernet sauvignon and 11 to 12 days for sangiovese. Malolactic fermentation was carried out in stainless steel tanks and finished at the end of November. Aging was done in French oak barrels previously used for Guidalberto, followed by storage in stainless steel tanks between 3 and 4°C to ensure tartrate stability before bottling.