Tenuta di Trinoro
Producer website
Source: VinConnect (VinConnect.com)
About Tenuta di Trinoro
Tenuta di Trinoro can be found among the soft undulating hills of the Val d’Orcia, in the province of Siena, a region recently named a UNESCO World Heritage site. Here visionary winemaker Andrea Franchetti cleared land to plant vines where sheep and wild roses had been more common than vines over the past century. The isolated estate occupies an area of about 500 acres, of which 52 are planted with vines. It is located high opposite the slopes of Mount Amiata, between 1,475 and 2,000 feet above sea level, where the eroded rock of the mountain gives way to the limestone and clay of an ancient sea floor.
From the beginning Franchetti set out a meticulous viticultural program designed to maximize wine quality by encouraging fruit ripening and concentration of flavor and color in the wines. The original vine material came from grafts of some of the best vines in Bordeaux. High-density plantings mean the vines must compete for precious nourishment, thickening the grapes’ skins and driving the ripening process. In addition, green harvesting is aggressively used, with up to 60% of the grapes cast to the ground in order to protect only the healthiest bunches. Each parcel is harvested and vinified separately in small fermentation tanks, and only the free run juice makes it into tank. The wines age for eight months in French oak to add complexity and enhance longevity before spending 15 months in large cement vats. These practices all combine to yield what is, according to Antonio Galloni, “one of the most iconic wines being made in Tuscany today.”
Despite the winery’s Tuscan location, the estate produces only Bordeaux varietals—Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot—instead of the traditional Sangiovese. Tenuta di Trinoro is the flagship wine of its namesake winery, and only several hundred cases are produced each vintage, making it highly sought-after by collectors. The flagship blend varies based on the vintage, but it is predominantly Cabernet Franc and Merlot, along with some Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Tenuta di Trinoro also produces other distinctive red wines focused on single varieties including Palazzi (100% Merlot) and Magnacosta (100% Cabernet Franc), as well as several other wines.
In addition to Tenuta di Trinoro, Andrea Franchetti also owns another unique winery: Passopisciaro on Mount Etna in Sicily. The wines of both estates are astounding examples of the benefits of the relentless pursuit of quality and distinctiveness in extreme growing environments.