Campo di Tenaglia 2019
ABOUT THE VINTAGE
Campo di Tenaglia is produced since 2014 exclusively with grapes from a particle of 0.8 hectares characterized by a land over two meters deep, with coarse sand of crushed limestone.
The vineyard is located on an open slope facing the sunset at an altitude of about 500 meters.
A cold spring, with a May that hardly existed there was frost on May 7th, which required us to spend the night lighting over 9,000 candles in our lowest vineyards to prevent damage during flowering. This was followed by a prolonged period of cold that delayed flowering, especially for the early ripening Semillon and merlot. Spare bunches, small berries, thick skins.
Most of August, it was so hot that the plants shut down they were already tired given the bumper crop of the previous year. This was followed by another drop in temperature at the end of the month, which paralyzed the maturation of all of the vines, especially the late ripening Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. 2019 was the latest ripening vintage we’ve seen in ten years.
We began the 14th of September with the Semillon, which was brought in over 2-3 pickings, and the first bit of merlot from the hillsides, with the heart of the fruit coming in around the 10th. The waiting period between the Merlot and cabernet franc this year was very short, with the franc mostly in by the 18th. Even with a rainy and cool start of October, we were impressed by the quality and quantity: 5 or 6 excellent parcels of merlot, the same for the franc, due to the smaller and tighter bunches with fewer berries, but more left on the vines this vintage.
REVIEWS
Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator, 95 points: “Dense and tightly wound with a matrix of tannins, this rich red is also lively and harmonious, laced with cherry, blackberry, iron and tobacco flavors. Stays fresh and balanced on the lingering, savory finish. Cabernet Franc. Best from 2024 through 2043.”
Monica Larner, Wine Advocate, 95+ points: “This is one of three single-vineyard expressions of Cabernet Franc made by vintner Andrea Franchetti. The Tenuta di Trinoro 2019 Campo di Tenaglia draws its fruit from a 0.8-hectare site with sandstone clay soils at a breezy 500 meters above sea level. This vineyard also boasts the deepest soils for the plant’s root systems to explore, with more than two meters of crushed stone, calcareous rock and heavy sands. Like the other monovarietal wines in this collection, fermentation kicks off in stainless steel vats and aging continues in French barrique, concluding with a resting period in cement. What I notice most here is the soft ripeness and roundness of the fruit. Campo di Tenaglia shows a loose-knit texture with plenty of primary intensity in the form of blackberry preserves, spice and smoky tar. Production is 1,933 bottles.”
Antonio Galloni, Vinous, 97 points: “The 2019 Campo di Tenaglia is elegant, silky and wonderfully polished. Bright red-toned fruit, blood orange, mint, spice, incense and rose petal are all finely sculpted in a Cabernet Franc that impresses with its delineation and focus. Although a bit reticent at first, the 2019 opens beautifully with time in the glass. Drinking window: 2025-2039”
Othmar Kiem, Falstaff, 96 points
BLEND
100% Cabernet Franc
ALTITUDE
500 m asl
PRODUCTION
1,933 bottles
