Campo di Tenaglia 2017
ABOUT THE VINTAGE
2017 was a difficult growing season throughout Italy: the winter was completely dry; the spring brought frost to the valley again after many years; then summer temperatures were exceedingly high, with peaks of 40*C during the day, for three straight months, and little or no refreshment at night, turning the Val d’Orcia into a sort of Sahara. At harvest, the berries were tiny, all skin and seeds and no juice. The resulting wines are like black ink – dense, dark, and closed. They have a density and concentration to them, alongside an unexpected green note; the vines had shut down due to hydric stress, accounting for this strange intersection of slightly under and over ripeness at the same time.
This year, we harvested in the Campo di Tenaglia on October 6th. It is perfumed, with notes of violet and plum jam; this vintage, it’s less spicy than in past years, with powerfully dominant tannins in its youth.
REVIEWS
Monica Larner, Wine Advocate, 95 points: “The 2017 Campo di Tenaglia (100% Cabernet Franc) is a thick and muscular wine with the definition and drive of a racehorse. This beautiful wine has a thick load of black fruit and tarry spice that hits the senses all at once, immediately releasing whichever hormone it is that drives you to involuntarily start the grill and defrost a ribeye steak. Once you’ve had time to adjust to the power of the wine, you begin to sense the depth and complexity at hand. That inky black fruit breaks down to reveal exotic spice, cured tobacco and black licorice root. The tannins here are a bit softer compared to the other two wines in this series, and this wine is slightly more accessible, but not by much. Only 1,600 bottles were made.”
Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator, 95 points: “Deep and brooding, this young red is packed with black currant, blackberry, violet, wild rosemary, iron and baking spice flavors. Dense and powerful, with aggressive tannins shoring up the long, resonant aftertaste. Best from 2023 through 2036. 133 cases made.”
BLEND
100% Cabernet Franc
ALTITUDE
500 m asl
PRODUCTION
1,600 bottles
