Tenuta San Guido : Le Difese 2024

Tuscan excellence by Tenuta San Guido

The estate
Located in Tuscany, the renowned Tenuta San Guido spans 2,500 hectares. The estate’s winemaking history truly began in 1944 when Marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta planted the first vines. Now led by CEO Alessandro Berlingieri, the estate is globally recognized for creating the first great wine of this style. The property stands out for its philosophy combining agricultural innovation with deep respect for the environment, preserving rich biodiversity that includes a natural reserve.

The vineyard
The vines dedicated to this cuvée produced under I.G.T Toscana thrive in a privileged Mediterranean environment, between protective hills and the Tyrrhenian Sea. Sea breezes regulate summer temperatures, while the soils—highly diverse depending on altitude—combine limestone, marl, clay, and sand. The strong presence of pebbles in the soil reflects sunlight, promoting optimal berry ripening.

The vintage
The year 2024 began with a cool, wet autumn, followed by a mild winter that encouraged early heat accumulation. Late winter rains replenished water reserves. Spring brought uniform bud break in April, later slowed by a cold spell without frost. After flowering under optimal conditions in May and June, the warm and breezy summer led to veraison one week ahead of schedule. The cool nights in August ultimately allowed for a perfect balance between technical and phenolic ripeness.

Winemaking and aging
Fermentation of Le Difese 2024 took place in stainless steel tanks under controlled temperatures, finishing at the end of October. The wine then underwent a brief aging in second- and third-use French oak barrels. Cold stabilization (between 3 and 4 °C) in stainless steel tanks preceded bottling. To refine its profile, the wine benefited from an additional seven months of bottle aging.

Grape varieties
sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon.