Antinori Badia a Passignano Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Antinori's single-vineyard Gran Selezione: 100% Sangiovese grown around the abbey of Passignano, aged in French and Hungarian oak. Firm, fine tannins and bright acidity frame ripe cherry, violet and leather. Built to cellar, made for red meat.
Le Difese is the entry red from Tenuta San Guido, the Bolgheri estate behind Sassicaia. A Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese blend grown at Castagneto Carducci, aged 12 months in oak, it drinks soft and approachable, with red cherry and cedar.
Best price
£24.00Save 20%
2023 · 75cl · checked 25 Oct · Delivery charge shown at checkout
Vino.comBest priceSave 10%2024 · 75cl · checked 25 Oct · Delivery usually £16.90, free on 5 bottlesCode WINE6R8T: £17 off your first wine order with £180 minimum spend, until 13 Jan 2028
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Unavailable (4)
House of DecantBest price2023 · 75cl · checked 20 Oct · Free delivery on 5 bottles, otherwise see shop
Out of stock
£24.99£33.32/L
Out of stock
XtraWineBest price2024 · 75cl · checked 18 Oct · Delivery charge shown at checkout
Out of stock
£33.00£44.00/L
Out of stock
Hedonism WinesBest price2024 · Magnum 150cl · checked 25 Oct · Delivery from £8.95, free on 5 bottles
Out of stock
£55.00£36.67/L
Out of stock
Corney & BarrowBest price2017 · 75cl · checked 20 Oct · Delivery £12.50, free on 2 bottles
Out of stock
£105.49£140.66/L
Out of stock
Stock status is read from each retailer’s page once a day and may lag.
Tasting Notes
What Le Difese tastes like
Red cherry and raspberry lead, with cedar and tobacco from twelve months in French and American oak. The picture below is our reading of the wine, set against Tenuta San Guido's own notes.
Tasted by
ItalianWines editorial
Tasted on
6 June 2026
Source
Drinker consensus · confidence Medium
Typical of Cabernet Sauvignon
BodyLight / Full
TanninsSmooth / Grippy
SweetnessDry / Sweet
AciditySoft / Crisp
Nose
Le Difese opens on red cherry and raspberry. Cedar and tobacco lift them, the marks of its 12 months in French and American oak. James Suckling found violet and forest floor in the 2023, a fragrant edge the Sangiovese brings to the Cabernet Sauvignon.
Cherry
Plum
Raspberry
Tobacco
Leather
Oak
Cinnamon
Vanilla
Chocolate
Palate
Medium-bodied and notably soft, true to head winemaker Carlo Paoli's description of an approachable, delicate structure. Cabernet Sauvignon gives blackberry and plum depth, while Sangiovese keeps the acidity bright and the tannins fine. Chocolate and leather come from the cask. Castagneto Carducci fruit reads riper in warm vintages like 2022.
Finish
The finish is fresh and clean rather than long. It closes on red fruit and a savoury cedar note, with a touch of Tuscan scrub in the 2023.
Overall
Le Difese is the entry point to Tenuta San Guido, the Bolgheri estate behind Sassicaia. It even folds in selected lots from Sassicaia and Guidalberto. A well-liked everyday red, praised for its easy, food-friendly drinkability. This is a weeknight Tuscan red rather than a cellar wine.
Drink nowBest by 2030
Live UK pricing
Buying Le Difese: where and how much
Le Difese trades around 30 to 37 pounds across UK merchants, with the 2022, 2023 and 2024 vintages all in circulation. Live listings and stock are tracked below.
Best price · 75 cl · 2023£24.00at XtraWine
Price spread · 75cl · 2023
£24.00 - £36.90 Across 3 UK retailers with 75cl · 2023 in stock
Per-litre (75cl · 2023 basis)£32.00Lowest current 75cl · 2023 offer
Last checked25 Oct 2026Refreshed once every 24 hours
Other vintages and formats: 4 price lines
75cl · 2020:
£39.00,
1 UK retailer
75cl · 2021:
£25.00,
1 UK retailer
75cl · 2022:
£29.90 - £36.20,
3 UK retailers
75cl · 2024:
£25.00 - £38.40,
6 UK retailers
Wine fit score
How Le Difese scores for food, value and ageing
Six dimensions rate Le Difese against Italian-wine peers, from its strong food flexibility to its modest cellaring case as an entry Toscana IGT.
Best with food8.8/10
Medium tannin from Cabernet Sauvignon plus bright Sangiovese acidity make Le Difese a flexible match for grilled meat, ragu and hard cheese.
Best intro to this style8.4/10
A soft, approachable Cabernet-Sangiovese blend with a recognisable estate name and no challenging structure; an easy first step into Tuscan reds.
Best value6.2/10
At about 30 pounds the lowest live price carries the Tenuta San Guido estate premium over generic Toscana IGT; fair rather than a bargain (no category p50 available).
Best everyday bottle5.8/10
The convivial, food-friendly style the estate intends fits midweek meals, but the roughly 30 pound price tempers true everyday value.
Best for an occasion4.8/10
An entry-level wine that still trades on the Sassicaia estate name, making it a presentable but not headline bottle for a gathering.
Best for cellar3.5/10
An entry IGT with only twelve months in oak and soft tannins, built for early drinking rather than long ageing; the drink window closes around 2030.
James Suckling scored the riper 2022 at 91 points and the fresher 2023 at 90; the youthful 2024 is the one drinkers currently like best. Compare the years below.
2024Current release
Best price
£25.00
Retailers
6 in stock
ABV
13.0%
Window
Drink now
through 2030
The youthful 2024 currently rates highest of any recent vintage on Vivino at 4.1, in line with the estate's view that Le Difese is enjoyable even in its early months in bottle. Soft and approachable now, with room to settle through 2030.
2023Previous release
Best price
£24.00
Retailers
3 in stock
ABV
13.0%
Window
Drink now
through 2029
The 2023 is the fresher, lighter-bodied side of Le Difese: James Suckling found red cherry, violet and forest floor at 90 points, and Wine Spectator flagged Tuscan scrub and tomato leaf. Bright and fragrant, it suits earlier drinking through 2029.
2022Previous release
Best price
£29.90
Retailers
3 in stock
ABV
13.0%
Window
Drink now
through 2029
A warm, dry Tuscan growing season gave the 2022 Le Difese ripe, concentrated red fruit and soft, well-knit tannins. James Suckling noted raspberry and cranberry with cedar over a medium body and a crunchy finish; drink now to 2029.
2021Previous release
Best price
£25.00
Retailers
1 in stock
2021Previous release
Best price
£25.00
Retailers
1 in stock
2022Previous release
Best price
£29.90
Retailers
3 in stock
ABV
13.0%
Window
Drink now
through 2029
A warm, dry Tuscan growing season gave the 2022 Le Difese ripe, concentrated red fruit and soft, well-knit tannins. James Suckling noted raspberry and cranberry with cedar over a medium body and a crunchy finish; drink now to 2029.
2023Previous release
Best price
£24.00
Retailers
3 in stock
ABV
13.0%
Window
Drink now
through 2029
The 2023 is the fresher, lighter-bodied side of Le Difese: James Suckling found red cherry, violet and forest floor at 90 points, and Wine Spectator flagged Tuscan scrub and tomato leaf. Bright and fragrant, it suits earlier drinking through 2029.
2024Current release
Best price
£25.00
Retailers
6 in stock
ABV
13.0%
Window
Drink now
through 2030
The youthful 2024 currently rates highest of any recent vintage on Vivino at 4.1, in line with the estate's view that Le Difese is enjoyable even in its early months in bottle. Soft and approachable now, with room to settle through 2030.
Drink-now / hold guidance reflects general style cues for this wine, not a forecast for a specific bottle. Where vintage-level editorial notes exist, they appear above.
The disciplinare, the place, the label
Why Le Difese is priced where it is
Le Difese is the entry red from the estate behind Sassicaia, and even folds in selected lots from Sassicaia and Guidalberto. The breakdown below shows what sits behind the price.
01
DOC, DOCG, IGT: what the badges mean
Italian wine law sorts bottles into a pyramid. DOCG sits at the top: tightly drawn boundaries, prescribed grapes, mandatory ageing, government tasting before release. DOC is the same idea with looser thresholds. IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) is broader still, requiring only that 85% of the grapes come from the named territory.
Toscana is in the IGT tier. That is not a quality verdict, it is a description of how much freedom the producer has at vinification and ageing.
02
The denomination rules, in detail
Allowed grapes. Varieties not yet recorded
Tasting panel. No mandatory pre-release tasting
03
Region and area context
Toscana falls within
Tuscany, covering Arezzo · Firenze · Grosseto · Livorno · Lucca · Massa Carrara · Pisa · Pistoia · Prato · Siena.
13.0% vol · 75 clAlcohol by volume and bottle size
Imbottigliato all’origineEstate-bottled
05
What sits behind the price of Le Difese
Tracked from
£24.00
Direction
Mostly cost up
Drivers
4 up / 1 down
Main factor
Sassicaia estate provenance
01
Sassicaia estate provenance
Cost up
Le Difese carries the Tenuta San Guido name and folds in selected lots from Sassicaia and Guidalberto. That lifts it well above the 12 to 18 pound range typical of generic Toscana IGT.
02
Estate Cabernet plus sourced Sangiovese
Cost up
Cabernet Sauvignon is grown on the estate at Castagneto Carducci in Bolgheri, with Sangiovese bought from across Tuscany; estate fruit and selective sourcing both add cost.
03
Twelve months in French and American oak
Cost up
The wine spends a year in barrel plus three months in bottle, adding cask and cellar cost that unoaked entry reds avoid.
04
Entry tier, not a single-vineyard cru
Cost down
As the approachable, higher-volume entry of the range, Le Difese is deliberately priced below Guidalberto and Sassicaia, which keeps it near 30 pounds.
05
UK duty and VAT
Cost up
The still-wine duty is 2.67 pounds a bottle (15 percent ABV or under, 2026 HMRC rate), plus 20 percent VAT. On a roughly 30 pound bottle they account for about 7 to 8 pounds of the shelf price.
01
Sassicaia estate provenance
Cost up
Le Difese carries the Tenuta San Guido name and folds in selected lots from Sassicaia and Guidalberto. That lifts it well above the 12 to 18 pound range typical of generic Toscana IGT.
02
Estate Cabernet plus sourced Sangiovese
Cost up
Cabernet Sauvignon is grown on the estate at Castagneto Carducci in Bolgheri, with Sangiovese bought from across Tuscany; estate fruit and selective sourcing both add cost.
03
Twelve months in French and American oak
Cost up
The wine spends a year in barrel plus three months in bottle, adding cask and cellar cost that unoaked entry reds avoid.
04
Entry tier, not a single-vineyard cru
Cost down
As the approachable, higher-volume entry of the range, Le Difese is deliberately priced below Guidalberto and Sassicaia, which keeps it near 30 pounds.
05
UK duty and VAT
Cost up
The still-wine duty is 2.67 pounds a bottle (15 percent ABV or under, 2026 HMRC rate), plus 20 percent VAT. On a roughly 30 pound bottle they account for about 7 to 8 pounds of the shelf price.
Food Pairing
Cabernet structure, Sangiovese acidity: dishes that fit Le Difese
Medium tannin and bright acidity make this a meat, ragu and hard-cheese red. Each card below explains the structural reason the pairing works.
Tannin softeningStrong match
Grilled and roast red meat
The Cabernet Sauvignon tannins in Le Difese bind to the fat and char of grilled beef, while the Sangiovese acidity resets the palate between bites. Fine, soft tannins mean it works with the meat without overpowering it.
Try with: Fiorentina steak · Ossobuco alla Milanese · Agnello Ragu Lucano · More pairings →
Acidity matchingStrong match
Tomato-led pasta and ragu
Sangiovese acidity is the classic match for tomato sauce, mirroring its brightness rather than fighting it. Le Difese has the freshness to cut through a long-cooked ragu and the soft body to sit alongside baked pasta.
Aged pecorino is salty and fat-rich, and the acidity plus gentle tannin of this Tuscan red clears the palate while its red-cherry fruit echoes the cheese's nuttiness. A regional pairing that plays to the wine's savoury cedar edge.
Medium body and fine tannin make Le Difese a comfortable partner for breaded, pan-fried veal: it has enough structure for the crust without the weight that would flatten the meat. The Cabernet adds depth, the Sangiovese keeps it lively.
The tobacco and cedar from twelve months in oak bridge to the charred crust and tomato of a Neapolitan pizza, while Sangiovese acidity matches the sauce. An easy, food-friendly red, exactly the convivial role the estate intends.
Chilli heat amplifies the Cabernet tannin and makes the wine taste hard and short, while oily, delicate fish clashes with the oak and red-fruit tannin. This is a meat-and-cheese red, not a partner for spice-forward or seafood plates.
With twelve months in oak and soft tannins, Le Difese is built for early drinking; recent vintages are best within a few years of harvest, through about 2030.
Drinking window
2026 → 2030
Peak around 2028.
Best in the years above; holds without falling over either side.
Decanting
1 hour
A short splash decant softens the first-pour edge and opens the aromatics.
Serving temperature
16-18°C
Aim for the cooler end on a warm day; warmer end opens up more aromatics.
Cellar potential
Low
An entry IGT with only twelve months in oak and soft tannins, built for early drinking rather than long ageing; the drink window closes around 2030.
Buy now or wait?
Buy now
£24.00 for a 75cl bottle of the 2023, at XtraWine, is the best price we track, and we have no signal of further discounting.
Sources & trust
Sources behind this Le Difese page
Prices & stock
Read directly from each retailer’s public product page once a day.
Last refresh: 25 Oct 2026, 04:30 BST.
We do not hold stock and we do not accept payment for placement.
Confidence · High
Tasting notes
Drawn from published drinker ratings, summarised in our own words. A crowd read across many tasters, not a single critic.
Confidence · Medium
Appellation rules & ageing
From the official Italian disciplinare for this denomination, cross-checked against the Ministry of Agriculture register.
Confidence · High
Why it costs what it costs
Our reading of the price, drawn from the disciplinare, public UK duty rates, and typical landed-cost benchmarks. Not a quote from the producer or a retailer.
Confidence · Medium
Drink window & cellar potential
Style guidance for this kind of wine at this price point. Treat it as advice, not a forecast for the bottle in your hand.
Confidence · Medium
Related
Tenuta San Guido, Tuscany and the grapes connected to Le Difese
Le Difese is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese. The Cabernet is grown on the estate at Castagneto Carducci and the Sangiovese is sourced from across Tuscany, giving a Bordeaux frame with a Tuscan soul.
Yes. Le Difese is the entry red from Tenuta San Guido, the Bolgheri estate behind Sassicaia, and even includes selected lots from Sassicaia and Guidalberto. First released in 2002, it is the most recent addition to the range.
It is a medium-bodied, soft red led by red cherry and raspberry, with cedar, tobacco and a little chocolate from twelve months in oak. Sangiovese keeps the acidity fresh and the tannins fine, making it an easy, food-friendly Tuscan red.
Grilled and roast red meat, tomato-led pasta and ragu, breaded veal, tomato-base pizza, and hard sheep's-milk cheese such as pecorino. Avoid fiery chilli heat and oily fish, which clash with the oak and Cabernet tannin.
Drink it young. With only twelve months in oak and soft tannins, Le Difese is built for early enjoyment within a few years of the vintage rather than long ageing. Recent vintages drink well now and through about 2030.
Critics score recent vintages 89 to 92 points, with James Suckling giving the 2022 91 points for its raspberry, cedar and fine tannins. Drinkers rate it a well-liked everyday red and praise its drinkability.
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Prices and stock are read from each retailer’s public product page once a day. Outbound buy links carry rel="nofollow sponsored noopener". The list is sorted by price; we do not accept payment for placement.
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