Additional Wine Notes
Sassicaia’s third wine, of sorts. Unlike Sassicaia and the second wine, Guidalberto, Le Difese is made from Sangiovese as well as Cabernet Sauvignon and is far more approachable when young. This is a well-made, quality wine but is designed to be simpler and drunk younger.
Producer Notes
The beginning of the Super Tuscan, or so the story goes: in the mid 1940’s Cabernet Sauvignon vines were planted at the Sassicaia estate in an attempt to produce a better quality Italian wine by blending it with the indigenous Sangiovese. The first commercial release in 1971 was a success and the Sassicaia name has remained synonymous with top end Super Tuscans ever since.
The vineyards are almost entirely planted with Bordeaux grapes (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc) and some local Sangiovese. The Cabernet Franc goes into Sassicaia (around 15% of the blend, the remainder Cabernet Sauvignon), the Merlot into Guidalberto (around 40% of the blend), and the Sangiovese into Le Difese (around 30% of the blend), making them very different wines and not different quality levels of a similar wine, altough the backbone of all three is Cabernet Sauvignon.
Vintage Notes
2017 was an average vintage in Tuscany
Other wines from Tenuta San Guido
1980 Sassicaia: £480
1990 Sassicaia: £590
1994 Sassicaia: £350
2001 Sassicaia: £450
2010 Sassicaia: £320
2011 Sassicaia: £310
2012 Sassicaia: £370
2013 Sassicaia: £340
2015 Sassicaia: £310
2016 Sassicaia: £460
2017 Sassicaia: £235
2018 Sassicaia (300cl): £2000
2018 Sassicaia: £295
2019 Sassicaia: £290
2020 Guidalberto: £49
2021 Sassicaia: £400
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