2022 Le Difese

The 2022 Le Difese is made with 60% Sangiovese and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon and includes some grapes purchased from the Chianti in Ruffina to enhance the wine’s aromatic profile and freshness. The grapes see maceration on the skins for 15 days, then are aged in used barrels for eight months. Deep ruby with a tinge of light purple, this 2022 is aromatic of anise, fresh leather, and spiced cherries. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has ripe tannins, with a clean mineral touch. It’s approachable and offers a supple texture with an open drinking window over the coming 6-8 years. Drink 2024-2030. This will be released in March 2024. Home of the historic first vines planted to Cabernet Sauvignon in 1944, the first commercial release for Sassicaia was produced in 1968. The only monopole DOC, Bolgheri Sassicaia was established in 1994 and spans the 67 plots identified by Mario Incisa della Roccheta. In addition to vines, there is an emphasis on biodiversity and a dedication to preserving the land and habitat of the region. For example, they have 650 hectares devoted to a bird sanctuary established in 1959, which is the first World Wildlife Fund natural reserve in Italy. They also cultivate cereal grains, legumes, and flowers. With their property spanning from sea level to the now second highest vineyards of the region (exceeded only by a vineyard owned by Giorgio Melletti Cavallari), they have the full spectrum of soils and elevations the region has to offer. I tasted the wines for this report at the estate with Carlo Paoli, the estate’s General Manager and Production Manager.

The 2022 Le Difese is plump, juicy and expressive, all of which make it a fine choice for drinking now and over the next handful of years. Crushed flowers, succulent red cherry fruit, mint, spice and blood orange all race across the palate. This exuberant yet mid-weight coastal Tuscan red is a total pleasure bomb. The 2022 is an especially fine edition. It benefits from a warm year - which can be a positive for entry-level wines - earlier bottling and selection. Le Difese is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (both estate and non-estate sites) and Sangiovese, all purchased.

Le Difese 2022 is a blend of 55% Sangiovese and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, the former brought in from long-standing partners based in Chianti and Chianti Rufina – ‘In Bolgheri it's not easy to find Sangiovese,’ third-generation Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta explained. 2022 saw slightly lower production than 2021 due to a warm spring and a rainy autumn. Macerations were shorter than previous years, and the wine retains the same blend as last year as part of the estate's continuing plans to make Le Difese approachable almost immediately and give it its own Tuscan identity. Bright red and purple scents with a creamy backdrop and herbal touches lead to a soft and textured palate full of fresh, tangy cherry and dark hedgerow berries. Ripe, precise and sapid with a long, breezy, balsamic finish, Le Difese should be enjoyed over the next decade.