The colour is deep ruby. Not much neither on the nose, where I barely detect some sour cherries, nor in the mouth, where I feel drying tannins and a bitter finish. The aftertaste is short.
Le Difese is made by Tenuta San Guido, the producer of the famous Sassicaia, first produced with the 1968 vintage. Le Difese is the third wine of the estate, first produced with the 2002 vintage. In between, the winery produces a second wine, labelled Guidalberto, first produced with the 2000 vintage.
Le Difese is made with 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Sangiovese grapes. Guidalberto with 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. Sassicaia is made with 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc grapes.
I visited Bolgheri during this summer holidays with my son. It is a region that I honestly have problems interpreting. On the one side, they certainly produce some outstanding wines. On the other side, I find that in Bolgheri the Italians’ ability to market their products plays an overpowering influence on the perceived quality of the wines and on the commanded prices.
I bought this bottle on sale at LIDL for 15.95 CHF, 30% off the regular price of 22.90 CHF. (Guidalberto sells at around 35 CHF and Sassicaia at around 200 CHF.) I personally prefer to spend my money in drinking wines from less fashionable wine regions of Italy, which to me offer a much better price/quality ratio.
Country: Italy
Region: Tuscany
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese
Type: Red
Vintage: 2018
Producer: Tenuta San Guido
Price range: Medium (15-30 US$)
Pascal’s Enjoyment Index: 2/5