October 7, 2011

Tenuta San Guido Guidalberto 2009

Guidalberto boasts the high polish of Sassicaia; Guidalberto’s layered nose of red currant, cherry, dried fruit, and earth, its medium-bodied palate, its quiet intensity, and its minerality and herbality all define the wine as coming from the same people who make Sassicaia, even if they employed a different paradigm to craft it. Approachable, affordable, and gorgeous, Guidalberto offers a wine to enjoy immediately, because sometimes there’s nothing like immediate gratification.

Quantity	Price
1 – 11	HK$388.00
12 +	HK$356.96

Tenuta San Guido Le Difese 2009

In articulating the meaning of the wild boar’s appearance on Le Difese’s label, the Marchese stated: “The defenses are the teeth of the boar, and the boar, when he is attacked, counter attacks with his teeth—his ‘defenses’— to be exact.” While this account may not provide insight into the wine, we can provide technical support: Predominantly Sangiovese with a small percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon (10%), this cousin of the mythical Sassicaia debuted quietly in the 2001 vintage. Upon its release in ’03, a mere 500 cases were distributed to local wine bars near the Bolgheri estate at a cost of roughly six euros a bottle. IWM was the first retailer to introduce this wine to the American public, and it remains virtually unavailable elsewhere in the country.

As in the case of Sassicaia and Guidalberto, the climate, influenced by the estate's proximity to the sea and the hills surrounding the vineyards, exacts a very strong influence on the maturation of the grapes for Le Difese. While Le Difese differs in composition from the other two wines, being predominantly Sangiovese, it delivers the signature fragrance that not only identifies the estate but brands it as a distinctly Tuscan wine.

Quantity	Price
1 – 11	HK$228.00
12 +	HK$209.76

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