Tenuta di Trinoro 2018
ABOUT THE VINTAGE
Tenuta di Trinoro is always comprised of the first selection of grapes, a vintage-specific blend of cabernet franc, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, and petit verdot grown on thin, hard, rocky soils rich in quartz and limestone, which tend to come from the higher parcels of the estate.
After the sweltering 2017, we welcomed the cooler, more even temperatures of 2018 in the valley. Abundant rainfall in late spring helped the vines recover from the preceding year’s fatigue and ready themselves for the hotter summer months ahead. Showing healthy signs of abundance, we spent many hours in the vineyard debudding with an eye toward achieving concentration later in the growing season. Summer came and went, bringing with it a mix of rainy and dry summer days as well as cool breezy nights.
September brought beautiful clear skies and warm, dry days. Near the end of the month, we were dizzy with the silver of the new moon, and from the 21st, there was a sudden density in the merlot: the astronomy signaling. The grapes were showing dark and soft, and we began bringing in twenty tons of merlot a day. The juice was low in alcohol, high in acidity, rich in taste, reminding one of Saint Emilion.
The dry days continued, with winds whipping through the valley and a sudden drop in temperature as we moved into October. The fruit began to lose its swelling, and the berries began to soften, so we misted the fields to give the grapes the final push, and ten hours later they had recovered back from their weakened state. Then real rain arrived over the dustbowl; a distant foam in the wind; followed by the late season sun, low, orange, but still strong enough to carry the grapes into the very last new moon.
Everything again became profound and ripe, and we brought in an unexpected record crop. 2018 brought ripeness and complexity because of the long, dry autumn and the long hanging time. Beautiful, intense merlot and rich, fragrant cabernet franc are at the core of the vintage, which will produce wines of great beauty, balance, and complexity.
REVIEWS
Monica Larner, Wine Advocate, 98+ points: “Andrea Franchetti’s 2018 Tenuta di Trinoro reminds me of the wines he made a decade ago or more. This dark, full and concentrated red blend shows a good amount of the power and the ripe, fruit-forward appeal that I associate with the wines made from those golden years from 2001 to 2007. There is a beautiful fullness and opulence here that wraps thickly over the palate with blackberry, rum cake, charred meat and black licorice. This blend of 59% Cabernet Franc and 41% Merlot offers up aromas of spice, mahogany and some of the grilled herbs or rosemary that you would associate with the Cabernet. The finish is super long and rich, with elegant tannins and lasting fruit momentum. Despite that slightly retro or nostalgic full-throttle bouquet that I described above, the mouthfeel is more tapered, fine and ethereal that you might expect. Some 7,000 bottles were made. You get all sorts of surprises from this beautiful, soulful wine.”
Antonio Galloni, Vinous, 97 points: “The highlight in this range, the 2018 Tenuta di Trinoro is fabulous. A rush of raspberry jam, mint, blood orange, pomegranate and sweet spice races out of the glass. The Tenuta is opulent, and yet all the elements are so well balanced, so harmonious. In the 2018, readers will find a flashy, intense wine that is undeniably alluring.”
Joe D’Angelo, International Wine Report, 98 points: “The flagship Tenuta di Trinoro is an absolutely sensational wine from Andrea Franchetti in this vintage. Composed of 59% Cabernet Franc and 41% Merlot, which was the first selections of fruit grown on thin, hard, rocky soils rich in quartz and limestone, which tend to come from the higher parcels of the estate. The wine itself opens to inventing aromas of ripe blackberries and dark cherries which are laced with sweet spices, tobacco, fresh cut florals, and hints of fresh herbs. On the palate this continues to impress with its gorgeous full-bodied texture and supple mouthfeel that is concentrated and focused all the way through the long finish. The 2018 shows a wonderful combination of power and class, and while it is simply stunning at this early stage, it also has the potential to age beautifully for years to come.”
Othmar Kiem – Simon Staffler, Falstaff, 99 points
Bibenda, 5 Grappoli
BLEND
59% Cabernet Franc
41% Merlot
ALTITUDE
450-600 m asl
PRODUCTION
7,000 bottles
