Tenuta San Guido Le Difese 2023

Le Difese comes from the vineyards of Tenuta San Guido, on the Tuscan coast in the Bolgheri area of Italy. The estate stretches between the hills of the Maremma and the Tyrrhenian Sea, whose moderating influences encourage slow, even ripening of the grapes. The plots sit on varied soils, made up notably of pebbles, clay and sand, which bring depth and freshness to the wines. This maritime environment, combined with a bright, breezy climate, forms the estate's identity and gives this cuvée its balance between Mediterranean expression, Tuscan finesse and structure.

The grapes, selected in the vineyards and harvested by hand, are fermented in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks, with around thirteen days of skin maceration. The wine is then aged for eight months in French oak barriques, followed by bottle ageing before release.

This wine reveals notes of red cherry, blackcurrant and ripe plum, alongside hints of violet, sweet pepper, liquorice and cedarwood. A subtle register of blond tobacco and garrigue completes its aromatic expression. The palate is supple and harmonious, carried by a flavoursome body, fresh acidity and fine yet present tannins. The balanced, lingering finish extends the flavours of black fruit and spice with an elegant oaky touch.

Ah, Italy, what a beautiful hedonistic country, home of the Dolce Vita, but how hard it is to understand how its wine is organised! The key to understanding Italy's appellation system is to think of it as several small countries rather than a single uniform one, since each region has its own appellation system. Yet Italy can offer wine lovers a multitude of wines with varied and unique flavours and styles, as well as bottles full of surprise and creativity. Unfortunately it also produces a large quantity of soulless, characterless wines sold under their most useful and commercially renowned names: Pinot Grigio, Chianti, Valpolicella, Lambrusco, Prosecco and many others... But let us talk a little history: winegrowing in Italy goes back to the most distant antiquity and originated in Greece. The Etruscans are said to have introduced the vine, and Greek immigrants improved and changed the grape varieties, later calling the country "Oenotria": the land of wine. At the height of the Roman Empire, wine held an important place in daily life, and some regions already stood out for the excellence of their produce. The Romans also planted many vineyards across Europe, leaving an indelible mark of their conquests. Today Italy is the largest wine producer in the world, ahead of France. Italy is divided into three climatic zones. The northern mountains have a fairly harsh mountain climate. The plain in the "middle of the boot" has a continental climate with cold winters and hot, stormy summers. The "south of the boot" enjoys a Mediterranean climate with very hot, very dry summers, not forgetting the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. In short, Italy produces a great variety of wines thanks to its 200 different grape varieties, many of them native to its land. It is a country just as complex as its wines, and well worth exploring!