About this wine
Vineyard and terroir
The fruit comes from young vines planted in poor, rocky soils near the sea. Low yields, the soils and the maritime proximity help the grapes ripen fully.
Vinification
The grapes are harvested by hand, with each variety vinified separately. Skin maceration takes place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats: 13–15 days for Cabernet Sauvignon and 14–18 days for Sangiovese.
Ageing
The wine rests for 3–4 months in stainless-steel tanks at 10 °C, followed by 6–8 months in French oak barriques previously used for Sassicaia and Guidalberto. It then returns to stainless steel for 20 days at 4–5 °C to stabilize its acids before bottling.
Label / history
The name Le Difese means “boar’s tusks” and refers to the wild boars long common in the area. They live in the woods beside the vineyard and sometimes damage the vines. The estate does not shoot them—both out of respect for nature and because shooting them is prohibited by law—and uses dogs to guard the vineyards.
