Le Cupole - Rosso Toscana I.G.T. - Tenuta di Trinoro - Franchetti

Tenuta di Trinoro in Val d'Orcia is considered one of the top wineries in Tuscany. The Founder, Andrea Franchetti acquired Tenuta di Trinoro in the 1980s and in the beginning of the 1990s started planting his first vines. The most important lesson he gleaned from a stint in Bordeaux was the crucial role played by terroir. He saw, in the rough woodland that would become Trinoro,clay-limestone and gravel soils reminiscent of those in Saint-Émilion. Only select parcels were suitable for vine-growing, and those he cleared by hand and planted in the style of the Bordelais: high-density, meter-by-meter plantings, with cuttings brought over from some of the region’s great estates. The isolated estate occupies an area of about 200 hectares, of which 24 are planted with vines. The vineyards are located between 450 and 600 meters above sea level, where the eroded rock of the mountain gives way to the limestone and clay of an ancient sea floor. These Super Tuscan wines are unique in their area, expressing the particular conditions of this elevated, inland valley.

Tight planting, high thinning, very low yields, extreme ripeness, and concentration of flavor characterize is the winemaking style. The wines are highly perfumed and opulent, at once approachable and meant to be left to develop in the bottle over time. Le Cupole was first produced in 1995. It is a blend of the four grape varieties Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot.