Tenuta di Trinoro

ABOUT THE VINTAGE

The second wine of Tenuta di Trinoro, Le Cupole was first produced in 1995. The blend of the four grape varieties Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot, changes every year with the respect to the vintage. Fermented in stainless steel and aged in one to three year-old barriques and cement, Le Cupole is velvety and approachable. This wine hits the palate with exuberance, full of fleshy, bright fruit, extracted tannins, and rich colour.

The year 2022 presented itself as one of the driest in recent times, following the already arid and challenging 2021. However, our vines reduced their vigour to conserve energy, in memory of the previous year.

Work in the vineyard was meticulous, particularly in managing the foliage – a necessary practice also for the selection of the bunches which followed. In fact, all vineyards were relieved of excess weight, not so much to seek concentration as to help the plant bring its few bunches to ripeness, given the scarce water resources.

At a first glance picking seemed to be anticipated compared to previous harvests, but it then slowed down due to continuous rainfalls: the amount of water normally spread out over several months was concentrated in a few heavy downpours in September. The climate during the last ripening phase of the grapes distinctly influenced this vintage with vertical wines showing freshness and bold bouquets with crisp fruity notes. The Merlot was brought to the cellar at the end of September, followed by the Cabernet Franc. The later-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot reached an incredible maturity, surprisingly achieved already in early October. As always, picking was managed with a radical parcelization of our vineyards, bringing 50 separate parcels into the cellar – all hand harvested.

Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks for 10-15 days at controlled temperatures. The parcels spent 8 months in 225-liter barriques of different ages, then blending was carried out in concrete tanks where the wine refined for another 12 months.

After the waxing moon of February 2023, the 2022 parcels were tasted and the blends of Tenuta di Trinoro and Le Cupole were decided. For Le Cupole 2022 we settled on a luminous and balanced blend of mostly Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The percentages, even in this arid vintage, remain very similar to the previous harvest with 57% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Franc, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Petit Verdot.