Tenuta San Guido

Le Difese is one of the most beautiful price-quality wonders of Tuscany. Magnificent, sweetly perfumed fruit aromas in the opulent bouquet, just as generous and wide the long-lasting taste. SUPERIORE.DE

"Surprisingly pale - more Pinot-like than a Cabernet blend! A sweet-sour red-cherry fruit profile, with a notable herbal edge, perhaps reflecting the higher Sangiovese proportion than 2018. On swirling, some cassis joins the party and there's a background woody, cinnamon note. That sweet-sour sense comes through on the palate too, with a ripeness of red cherry and strawberry cut through with acidity. Pretty fine-grained, powdery tannins that are more refined than previous Le Difese vintages I have tasted. A touch of alcohol on the finish, but overall an enjoyable, perfumed red." Jancis Robinson

Since Guidalberto is vinified from its own vineyards, most of which are also growing in the Sassicaia DOC monopoly position, San Guido's "second wine" has outgrown itself. Spicy-earthy bouquet with hints of tobacco, clove and lavender, on the palate dense and juicy with fresh red and black berry fruit. The tannins well-dosed and the finish complex with a majestic elegance that refines even further with the years of bottle ageing. SUPERIORE.DE

"There is so much Tuscan tang to this wine that I wouldn't be remotely surprised if someone told me it contained a little of Tuscany's signature grape Sangiovese. This is appetising rather than luscious. Nicely balanced and much more accessible now than the current 2017 vintage of Sassicaia. No more than medium bodied. Clean and neat." Jancis Robinson

"Made with 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, this smooth red opens with aromas of cassis, vanilla, violet and a whiff of bell pepper. Racy and delicious, the linear palate doles out juicy red currant, black cherry and vanilla set against lithe tannins. Bright acidity keeps it balanced and fresh." Wine Enthusiast

"The 2018 Guidalberto, tasted from an approximate blend from barrel, is positively stellar. I can only hope that the bottled wine is as fresh, vibrant and nuanced as this sample. A rush of black cherry, plum, spice, leather and licorice graces the 2018 with striking depth and nuance. Light on its feet and deep, the 2018 has a lot to offer. In many years, Guidalberto can be a rather rich wine, but in 2018 it is very closely aligned with the house style." Vinous

"A deft and bright blend to serve with a platter of creamy Camembert wedges, the 2018 Guidalberto showing a smooth and silky delivery of aromas with black fruit and sour cherry backed by spice, pressed flower and tilled earth. These are fragrant and delicate results fitted to a medium-weight finish that is driven by freshness and elegant tannins." Robert Parker

"San Guido’s 2018 Guidalberto is soft, open-knit and inviting. Sweet dark cherry, cinnamon, licorice and new leather fill out the layers in an undeniably attractive Guidalberto that will drink beautifully upon release. Finesse and elegance are the signatures. The 2018 is a terrific choice for drinking now, while some of the more powerful vintages of Guidalberto come together, or while waiting for its sibling, Sassicaia." Vinous

Enormously complex on the nose: we discover cassis, elderberries, heart-cherries and floral and mineral-earthy notes. In the mouth it is firm, precise and yet extremely elegant and balsamic, with a lot of juiciness and a very fine tannin, which is already irresistible in its young years. We have seldom enjoyed a wine that is so dense and full and at the same time seduces with a balance that makes it unique. Further bottle maturity is inevitably rewarded, although a further increase seems hardly imaginable. SUPERIORE.DE

"With this wine, more than 50 years ago, the success story of international grape varieties began in Bolgheri: the Incisa della Rocchetta family recognised the potential of the Bordeaux grape varieties and created this monolith of Italian wine culture. To this day, it is produced almost unchanged and mainly from Cabernet Franc: an appealing nose of fresh stone fruit, juniper and tobacco; the attack is polished, the tannins fine-grained and fresh, invigorating acidity, an extremely complex final on notes of red fruit and spices. Always one of the most elegant interpretations of the terroir." Vinum

"The 2017 Sassicaia is a fascinating wine that symbolizes a never-ending tug-of-war between vintner and vintage. The question is who comes out on top? In this case, my money is on the vintner. The 2017 vintage, characterized by scorching heat and drought across much of Italy, was not an easy one. This Sassicaia represents 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Cabernet Franc, with most of the fruit coming from the Tenuta's historic vineyards Castiglioncello, Quercione and Doccino. These plots are all located on the back hill of Bolgheri at slightly higher elevations where they enjoy cooler nighttime temperatures. Old vines also have a deeper root system that is key to braving dry and hot summers. You can absolutely taste those choices here thanks to the wine's aromatic profile that offers more variety-driven green highlights of wild berry, forest floor and bramble than I would have expected. With time, as the wine takes on more air in the glass, you get a hint of summer plum or cherry cough drop, and this, to my surprise, is the only subtle reminder of the hot vintage encountered. I found the aromas here to be authentically "Tuscan" in character, more so than other vintages, with balsamic and Mediterranean elements that borrow directly from the Sangiovese playbook. The decision to use more neutral oak favors the reduction of oxygen and softens the tannic profile. Although the wine does end with a hint of bitterness, it took on noticeably more volume and soft richness the longer I kept my sample in the glass." Robert Parker

"A taut, densely wrought red, with black currant, black cherry, iron, wild herb and spice flavors matched to the elegant frame and restrained character. Balanced and long, this has a distinctly Old World feel and looks set to unravel its complex facets slowly." Wine Spectator

"The 2017 Sassicaia is dark, sensual and rich, which is a good thing, as the tannins - the result of a warm, dry year in which phenolic ripening was difficult to fully reach - are also quite powerful. I tasted the 2017 from an approximate blend from barrel, where the wines are still aging in separate lots. It will be interesting to see where things end up once the wine is in bottle." Vinous

"The balance and beauty to this is impressive, offering sweet, ripe currants and flowers with some crushed-stone and dry-earth undertones. Full-bodied with soft, polished tannins and a long, creamy-textured finish. It’s polished, yet concentrated. Better after 2022, but already very seductive." James Suckling

"Aromas of exotic spice, baked plum and French oak mingle with camphor and blue flower on the nose. This boasts extraordinary elegance and freshness despite the hot vintage, delivering flavors of juicy Marasca cherry, spiced blueberry, tobacco and licorice. Velvety, fine-grained tannins provide support while coffee and crushed mint linger on the finish." Wine Enthusiast

Enormously complex on the nose: we discover cassis, elderberries, heart-cherries and floral and mineral-earthy notes. In the mouth it is firm, precise and yet extremely elegant and balsamic, with a lot of juiciness and a very fine tannin, which is already irresistible in its young years. We have seldom enjoyed a wine that is so dense and full and at the same time seduces with a balance that makes it unique. Further bottle maturity is inevitably rewarded, although a further increase seems hardly imaginable. SUPERIORE.DE

"With this wine, more than 50 years ago, the success story of international grape varieties began in Bolgheri: the Incisa della Rocchetta family recognised the potential of the Bordeaux grape varieties and created this monolith of Italian wine culture. To this day, it is produced almost unchanged and mainly from Cabernet Franc: an appealing nose of fresh stone fruit, juniper and tobacco; the attack is polished, the tannins fine-grained and fresh, invigorating acidity, an extremely complex final on notes of red fruit and spices. Always one of the most elegant interpretations of the terroir." Vinum

"The 2017 Sassicaia is a fascinating wine that symbolizes a never-ending tug-of-war between vintner and vintage. The question is who comes out on top? In this case, my money is on the vintner. The 2017 vintage, characterized by scorching heat and drought across much of Italy, was not an easy one. This Sassicaia represents 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Cabernet Franc, with most of the fruit coming from the Tenuta's historic vineyards Castiglioncello, Quercione and Doccino. These plots are all located on the back hill of Bolgheri at slightly higher elevations where they enjoy cooler nighttime temperatures. Old vines also have a deeper root system that is key to braving dry and hot summers. You can absolutely taste those choices here thanks to the wine's aromatic profile that offers more variety-driven green highlights of wild berry, forest floor and bramble than I would have expected. With time, as the wine takes on more air in the glass, you get a hint of summer plum or cherry cough drop, and this, to my surprise, is the only subtle reminder of the hot vintage encountered. I found the aromas here to be authentically "Tuscan" in character, more so than other vintages, with balsamic and Mediterranean elements that borrow directly from the Sangiovese playbook. The decision to use more neutral oak favors the reduction of oxygen and softens the tannic profile. Although the wine does end with a hint of bitterness, it took on noticeably more volume and soft richness the longer I kept my sample in the glass." Robert Parker

"A taut, densely wrought red, with black currant, black cherry, iron, wild herb and spice flavors matched to the elegant frame and restrained character. Balanced and long, this has a distinctly Old World feel and looks set to unravel its complex facets slowly." Wine Spectator

"The 2017 Sassicaia is dark, sensual and rich, which is a good thing, as the tannins - the result of a warm, dry year in which phenolic ripening was difficult to fully reach - are also quite powerful. I tasted the 2017 from an approximate blend from barrel, where the wines are still aging in separate lots. It will be interesting to see where things end up once the wine is in bottle." Vinous

"The balance and beauty to this is impressive, offering sweet, ripe currants and flowers with some crushed-stone and dry-earth undertones. Full-bodied with soft, polished tannins and a long, creamy-textured finish. It’s polished, yet concentrated. Better after 2022, but already very seductive." James Suckling

"Aromas of exotic spice, baked plum and French oak mingle with camphor and blue flower on the nose. This boasts extraordinary elegance and freshness despite the hot vintage, delivering flavors of juicy Marasca cherry, spiced blueberry, tobacco and licorice. Velvety, fine-grained tannins provide support while coffee and crushed mint linger on the finish." Wine Enthusiast