Tenuta di Trinoro is the eponymous flagbearer of the Trinoro estate, a rare wine, the blend of which is vintage-dependent. Cabernet Franc and Merlot tend to dominate, with varying amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Andrea gets particularly excited by Cabernet Franc as it enjoys the conditions here and can ripen fully - not always easy in Bordeaux. The first commercial vintage was 1997, when it was offered with Palazzi, 100% Merlot – just two wines. Both wowed the wine world by their surprising intensity, the vines being then so very young. Andrea’s high density planting and savagely restricted production put paid to the generally dilute character expected of young vine fruit.
"100% Cabernet Franc, Tenaglia, is sited at 520m altitude, west-facing. It is a mere 0.3 hectares in size, planted on friable limestone. A brilliant jet-ruby in colour, this is initially rather reticent, opening up to reveal pronounced dark fruit, on agitation. The palate is more gregarious than the nose suggests with focused cassis allied to a leafy, wild blackcurrant intensity. There is no doubting innate power here, yet it is delivered within an accessible, upbeat, fresh style, the abundant fruit complemented by light spice, all supported by a beautifully-integrated structure – velvet-textured.
Monica Larner – 96 Points
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Tuscany’s rolling vineyards and olive groves make it one of the world’s most stunning wine regions, yet it is also Italy’s oldest, dating back to the Etruscans.Â
