Tenuta di Trinoro

2016 was a very balanced year in Tuscany and also Le Cupole presents itself elegant and nuanced. Black cherries, spices and some tar meet a very opulent fruit and a fine-grained tannin. SUPERIORE.DE

"Trinoro's 2016 Le Cupole is bold, in your-face and unapologetically rich. It's also a fabulous value from Trinoro and proprietor Andrea Franchetti. Blackberry jam, crème de cassis, chocolate, new leather, spice and menthol build into a crescendo of aromas and flavors as this bold, flamboyant wine shows off its alluring personality. There is nothing subtle about Le Cupole, but it is undeniably delicious." Antonio Galloni

"Lush and expressive, this red offers plum, black cherry, leather, iron and smoke aromas and flavors. Backed by muscular tannins, but finds equilibrium on the long, fruit-filled aftertaste." Wine Spectator

"The 2016 Le Cupole is a simply beautiful wine, with a full and richly extracted style that delivers power but does not go overboard. It is a blend of Cabernet Franc (42%), Merlot (40%), Cabernet Sauvignon (14%) and Petit Verdot (4%) that shows a lot of black fruit and a touch of green spice on the close. This wine comes full circle to offer a great drinking experience." Robert Parker

Black cherries, spices and notes of tar meet a very complex, opulent fruit and a fine-grained tannin. SUPERIORE.DE

"Hearty, dark ruby. Very rich nose, of ripe Amarena cherry and blackberry, precise, spicy. On the palate concentrated and multi-layered, opens with hearty tannin, tightly woven, grippy, shows a lot of pressure, in the final minimal post-drying." Falstaff

Just 1,900 bottles of this 0.8 hectare Cabernet Franc vineyard "Campo di Tenaglia" (approx. 550 m above sea level, mainly limestone) are sold worldwide in specialist shops and on the maps of the best restaurants.

Impenetrable, dark wine with a bouquet of flint, crushed minerals and some chalk. The texture is rich and opulent, but always smooth with a hint of minerality. Campo di Tenaglia is one of the juiciest Cabernet francs we have ever had in a glass. Beautiful, long finale and a certainly great storage potential. SUPERIORE.DE

"Rich, shiny ruby with a violet shimmer. Very compact and dense nose, lots of blackberry, lots of blackcurrant, some blueberry, followed by notes of thyme and white pepper. Full and dense in base and course, shows much ripe berry fruit, paired with spice, dense tannin, fine melt, concentrated but also fresh." Falstaff

"Wonderfully smooth on the palate with extremely fine tannins and an appetisingly dry finish. Tuscany speaks as well as the grape in this tangy, deep-flavoured wine. Needs a bit more time." Jancis Robinson

"Muscular and compact now, this red evokes plum, black currant, leather, leafy tobacco and toasty, spicy flavors. The dense tannins exert themselves while the vivid acidity shines through on the finish, which is long and palate-staining." Wine Spectator

"The 2016 Campo di Tenaglia, 100% Cabernet Franc from a parcel planted on decomposed limestone, is explosive, dark and inviting, with tons of black cherry, blackberry jam, gravel, smoke, licorice and dark chocolate. A wine of brooding power and gravitas, the Campo di Tenaglia shows the more virile side of Cabernet Franc oft great effect. In this tasting, it is dazzling." Antonio Galloni

"Here is another beautiful Cabernet Franc from Tenuta di Trinoro, from a parcel characterized by sandier soils with rocks. The 2016 Campo di Tenaglia has remarkable intensity and a lovely richness. It has a soothing dark spiciness but remains very compact at its core. After eight months in new barrique, it goes into cement to rest and integrate for an additional 11 months." Robert Parker 

Just 2,100 bottles of this 1.5 hectare Cabernet-Franc vineyard "Campo di Magnacosta" (a former riverbed with mainly clay, gravel and gravel soil) are sold worldwide in specialist shops and on the cards of the best restaurants. The vines were planted in the mid-1990s and come from Pomerol.

In terms of aromatic intensity, Magnacosta is probably the most sensual and elegant representative of the house's three large vineyard cabernets. It has great straightforwardness, but somewhat less strength and intensity. It subtly combines black fruit aromas with spicy notes, tar and antique leather. Already today it presents itself silky and elegant and will surely increase in finesse over the years. SUPERIORE.DE

"Mid crimson. More lifted and elegant than the Tenaglia with sucky stony quality on the end. Really quite refined and breathable already, Less dense and less obviously sweet than the Tenaglia. Positively racy!" Jancis Robinson

"Made with 100% Cabernet Franc hailing from a single vineyard, this opens with enticing aromas of black-skinned berry, star anise and pipe tobacco. Smooth and full-bodied, the focused palate also boasts finesse, delivering black currant, crushed raspberry and licorice accompanied by tightly knit fine-grained tannins. Give this a few more years to fully unwind and develop." (Cellar Selection) Wine Enthusiast

"The 2016 Campo di Magnacosta is an intriguing wine. A 100% Cabernet Franc from a tiny 1.5 hectare parcel on an old gravel river bed the Magnacosta is racy, silky and quite rich, as all these wines are. There is terrific aromatic brightness in the 2016, but less in the way of pure varietal Franc notes. Even so, there is something incredibly inviting to the wine. Super-ripe red cherry, pomegranate, mint and rose petal notes add striking shades of nuance through to the persistent finish. I would cellar the 2016 to allow more nuance to develop." Antonio Galloni

"A mix of spice and fruit aromas lead to black currant, black cherry, licorice, tobacco, iron and spice flavors in this complex red, which is firm and focused, with dense tannins guarding the finish." Wine Spectator

"The 2016 Campo di Magnacosta is a single-vineyard expression of the grape born from a 1.5-hectare plot selected by Andrea Franchetti as part of his ongoing efforts to underline the potential of Cabernet Franc in his off-the-beaten-track corner of southern Tuscany. Only 2,100 bottles were produced. Like the other wines in this series, fermentation occurs in stainless steel, and the wine is aged in new barrique for eight months, followed by 11 months in cement. It shows enormous depth and profound flavors of dark fruit, blackberry, spice and tobacco." Robert Parker

Andrea Franchetti began positioning Palazzi next to Tenuta di Trinoro in the 1990s, with the aim of producing two wines reminiscent of the left and right shores of Bordeaux.

Palazzi represents the Merlot grape variety at its best, with a soft, supple fruit that is invigorated and exhilarated by intense minerality. The wine comes from a selection of older Merlot vines covering about five to seven hectares. Several months in the new barrel add the appropriate complexity, making the wine accessible and pleasant. This wine is elegantly structured and has a grandiose maturing potential. Vinified in small quantities - just 2,900 bottles are produced every year - it is not only one of the best Merlots in Italy for us. SUPERIORE.DE

"Intense, dark ruby with a violet hue. Very dense and memorable nose, full after ripe blackberries and blueberries, in addition fine spicy tones, some smoke in the background. A dense tannin with a good grip, develops in many layers, salty and deep, fine spice in the finale". Falstaff

"Ripe and fruity, this expressive red boasts blackberry, black cherry and plum flavors, accented by graphite and tobacco notes. Features plenty of structure for support, and the finish is long, echoing ripe fruit and mineral elements." Wine Spectator

"The 2016 Palazzi, the estate's 100% Merlot, is racy, succulent to the core. It is also the wine where the elevated ripeness of the house style is most in evidence. Dark fruit, chocolate, spice, leather and licorice all build as this flamboyant wine gradually opens up in the glass. The Palazzi is a heady, exotic wine with generous curves and tons of sheer allure." Antonio Galloni

"Also undeniably beautiful, the 2016 Palazzi shows inky black extraction and penetrating intensity. This pure expression of Merlot delivers rich notes of tobacco weaved in with ripe fruit, spice, dried blackberry and blackcurrant. There are also some pleasant undertones of raisins and figs that come with the early-ripening grape in a hot year such as 2016. The wine is fermented in steel vats and aged in new oak for eight months before going into cement vats for an additional 11 months." Robert Parker

Of all its wines, the flagship Tenuta di Trinoro offers the deepest insight into the viticulture of Andrea Franchetti. The proprietary blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot on limestone and clay soils changes Andrea every year depending on the quality and quantity of the grapes harvested. The grapes are always the best of this vintage. Franchetti's own style can be seen in each of his wines and with each vintage. SUPERIORE.DE

"Powerful, luminous ruby with violet shimmer. Compact and catchy nose, full of cassis and forest blueberries, with cloves and dark chocolate. Compact and powerful at the base, it unfolds with much fine-meshed tannin, surrounded by sweet enamel, very long aftertaste with much rich fruit." Falstaff

"Pure, ripe flavors of plum, blackberry and fruitcake are wrapped in toasty oak. This is dense, picking up earth and tobacco notes as the spice elements echo on the firm finish. The lasting impression is of saturated fruit. Everything is in proportion for a long life ahead." Wine Spectator

"The 2016 Tenuta di Trinoro is a truly gorgeous creation. The flagship wine from Tenuta di Trinoro is 48% Cabernet Franc and 52% Merlot (fermented in steel like the other top-shelf wines from this estate, followed by eight months in new barrique and 11 months in cement). The alcohol here clocks in at 15.5%, and you do feel it. This powerful Tuscan blend offers nice, ripe intensity and bold movements. It is rich and beautiful, layering out tranches of fruit, cinnamon and spice in perfect harmony. It is a full-bodied wine with some sweet cinnamon spice on the close." Robert Parker

"The 2016 Trinoro is one of the most extraordinary wines I have ever tasted from Trinoro and proprietor Andrea Franchetti. Deep and yet also silky, with exceptionally refined tannins and exquisite balance, the 2016 has so much to recommend it. Dark raspberry jam, white chocolate, mint and rose petal notes are all finely knit in this sublime, exquisitely beautiful wine. The finish alone boasts mind-bending intensity and persistence." Antonio Galloni