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Tenuta San Guido Le Difese Tuscany IGT 2018 - First Bottle

Reviews

92 Raffaele Vecchione, WinesCritic.com -
The sensory profile of this young red with "dark" tones is intense and intriguing. It opens gently in notes of black plums, blackberries and chopped dark chocolate. Medium-full body, juicy thanks to sweet tannins well blended in the matrix and a finish of pure gustatory beauty. Drink now.
91 James Suckling -
A medium-bodied red with plum and cherry character. Walnut and bark undertones. It’s creamy and savory at the finish. Drink now.
90 Vinous -
The 2018 Le Difese is a very pretty, understated wine. Crushed flowers, sweet red berries, dried herbs and a touch of spice bring out the more delicate side of Maremma Cabernet Sauvignon. Best of all, the 2018 will drink well right out of the gate.
90 Wine Spectator -
Evoking cherry, cedar, olive, iron, sanguine and tobacco flavors, this appealing red is firm and balanced, with a lingering, tangy finish of mineral and woodsy underbrush elements. Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese. Drink now through 2024. 26,000 cases made, 2,500 cases imported.
90 Wine Enthusiast -
Aromas of star anise, dark-skinned berry, wild herb and toasted oak form the nose. A blend of 70% Cabernet and 30% Sangiovese, the wine's bright, linear palate offers red currant, prune and a hint of licorice before a coffee-bean finish. Racy acidity and taut close-grained tannins provide the framework and tension.

Technical Details

  • Blend70% Cabernet and 30% Sangiovese
  • CountryItaly
  • RegionTuscany
  • AppellationToscana
  • Aging/Cooperage8 months in French oak barriques of barrels previously used for Sassicaia
  • Alcohol14%
Shop All Wines Tenuta San Guido Le Difese Tuscany IGT 2018

Tenuta San Guido Le Difese Tuscany IGT 2018

Cabernet Blends  |  Italy
RV92, JS91, VN90, WS90, WE90

New $40.00 $27.95 | 750mL
SOLD OUT
30% off retail!
Too late, we are SOLD OUT!

Normally $40+, we were able to finagle a superb deal on about 56 cases of this awesome Cabernet/Sangiovese blend, a classic Super-Tuscan label made by none other than the legendary Tenuta San Guido (Sassicaia). As noted, this is the best price in the country and a complete no-brainer for sharing and drinking, and whatever else you come up with. First come, first served...more details below!

Sassicaia, produced at Tenuta San Guido, was the first Super Tuscan wine ever made. In the 1920s, the young Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta dreamt of producing a ‘thoroughbred’ of the wine world. When Mario arrived in the area in the 1940s, he recognized similarities in climate and soil between Bordeaux and the coastal vineyards of Bolgheri, firmly believing that Cabernet Sauvignon could reach the same exalted heights there as Bordeaux Grand Cru Classes. He started to experiment with French grape varieties, and results from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were so good, he decided to focus on this variety alongside Merlot, something completely new in Tuscany at the time. It is still the only Italian wine from a single estate to have a DOC of its own. Le Difese has been produced by Tenuta San Guido since 2002 as a Toscana IGT. The 2018 vintage created a perfect harmony between the flavors and structure of the wine. It’s fresh, vibrant, and loaded with spicy plums, dried flowers and Asian spice. So good!

Like we said, back up the truck! Wow!

PAIRING IDEAS: Tomato season is winding down, so EAT THEM. Make skewers. Make panzanella. Make a killer tomato sauce for pasta from scratch. This wine loves tomatoes, so just go for it!

MUSIC SUGGESTIONS: We’re still getting stoked for Bottlerock 2021. Type that into Spotify, and you’ll get a cool playlist of everyone at the show, and most likely discover some new cool stuff (Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears for us!).

About the Producer

The idea of Tenuta San Guido came from the Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchettta dream of creating a "thoroughbred" wine like those of Bordeaux. The Tenuta San Guido is a 7,500-acre estate located in the province of Livorno on the western coastal outskirts of Tuscany near the village of Bolgheri. Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta acquired it through his marriage to Clarice della Gherardesca in 1940. The legacy of Sassicaia began in 1944, when Mario Incisa acquired a number of Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc vine cuttings and planted them on a sloping hillside of the San Guido estate, called Castiglioncello after the 11th-century castle at the vineyard's upper edge. Le Difese has been produced by Tenuta San Guido since 2002 as a Toscana IGT. The 2018 vintage created a perfect harmony between the flavors and structure of the wine.