As many of you will recall, one of our mantras is to always be aware of the ‘little’ wines from elite producers.
The idea is that the best winemakers are considered the best because they continuously succeed. That success is largely due to their attention to detail and commitment to excellence. Such producers don’t even have the capacity to ‘coast’ or ‘phone it in’. It’s not in their DNA. Their expectations as to what is acceptable are simply on another plane. Imagine Thomas Keller or Joel Robuchon cooking your breakfast eggs. Sure, they’re just eggs, but those guys have standards for eggs, and they will be cooked and seasoned perfectly. It’s like that.
We know a lot of such meticulous folks in the wine industry and these are the folks that make the great wines. We know of no one that is more passionate or more of a quality fanatic than Andrea Franchetti. He is also not afraid to go where few have gone before. Tenuta di Trinoro’s location in southeast Tuscany is a far cry from the traditional wine road (heck it’s almost Umbria). But Andrea liked the soil composition for the Bordeaux varietals he was intent on growing so in the vines went.
He ‘runs with the big dogs’ counting as close friends Jean-Luc Thunevin of Valandraud in St. Emilion and Peter Sisseck of Pingus in the Ribera del Duero. Imagine what ‘show and tell’ is in that crowd. Though Franchetti operates on the same level both here in Tuscany as well as at his Etna property, Passopisciaro, he is probably less ‘famous’ than he should be because of this off-the-beaten-path location.
Now, no matter how good you are, you still have to deal with Mother Nature, and the 2014 vintage was a formidable foe for even some of Tuscany’s top addresses. But Franchetti was not going to allow Nature to beat him. Andrea hired more people to work the vineyards and drop one-third of the crop. Because of the extra vineyard work and the overall health of the vineyard, the grapes ripened slowly if a little unevenly. No problem, there were 36 separate pickings from 29 September until 28 October for this wine, making sure all the blocks were at their best when harvested. You can expect that kind of commitment from an estate charging $80, $100, or more for all of their wines. But to push this hard for something selling for under $30? For Tenuta di Trinoro there is no other way.
The Tenuta di Trinoro Rosso Toscana IGT Le Cupole 2014 is a sensational success. This Bordeaux-inspired blend of mostly equal parts Cabernet Franc and Merlot with a dollop of Cabernet Sauvignon got glowing reviews from Wine Spectator’s Bruce Sanderson, with a 93-point score and comments, “Alluring scents of ripe cherry, mulberry and fresh herbs complement concentrated flavors of cherry and sweet spice in this red. Offers a backbone of mouthcoating tannins and remains integrated as the finish lingers.”
It also placed #29 in the Wine Spectator Top 100 2016. That’s a pretty big deal, especially for the price.
Wine Advocate’s Monica Larner was no less impressed, offering “Andrea Franchetti is a perfectionist when it comes to fruit selection. This Bordeaux-inspired Tuscan blend opens to dark concentration and a full bouquet that is redolent of dark fruit, spice and tobacco. The aromas are delivered in seamless fashion and with noteworthy intensity. Those are the qualities that ultimately distinguish this wine among the many choices you have from Tuscany today. One thing Tenuta di Trinoro always delivers is distinct personality…”.
This is an exciting example of one man’s plain sheer will, and that’s the kind of story one can tell about Andrea Franchetti and those like him. That’s why we tell people to look at everything producers like Andrea craft. Delicious wine for the money? Distinctive and character-filled? Yes, and yes.
By the way, we have a smidgen remaining of some of Trinoro’s ‘partners’ from the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list, including last call on the Maurodos San Roman Toro and Felsina Chianti Classico 2013.
His Tenuta di Trinoro wines have a serious following but it is with the Tenuta di Trinoro Toscana IGT Le Cupole 2015 that we get the most excited. Here is a meticulously produced blend of Bordeaux varietals that has the seamless nature, polish, and fruit driven style of his icon bottlings but is a fraction of the price. It is a true ‘second wine’ as it faultlessly emulates the harmonious style of the house and is a great window into the workings of this unique estate. The ripe 2015 vintage didn’t hurt either.