Tenuta di Trinoro Le Cupole Toscana IGT, Tuscany, Italy 2018 3L

Located in a remote corner of southeastern Tuscany, Tenuta di Trinoro specializes in rich, age-worthy red wines made of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot. The Estate sits in viticultural isolation in the Orcia Valley near Sarteano, where Tuscany meets Umbria and Lazio.

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.

“This is a terrific wine that hits that proverbial sweet spot between excellence and value. The Tenuta di Trinoro 2018 Le Cupole is a blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 37% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot that sees a brief eight months in second and third-passage barrique followed by some additional resting time in cement. Production is an ample 70,000 bottles. This lovely vintage shows dark fruit intensity and richness with cherry, blackberry and plum. There is a touch of sweetness, but the mouthfeel is well constructed and layered with phenolic tightness and tight natural structure that will help it age 10 years or more. Le Cupole is one of the best values found in Tuscany.” Monica Larner, Wine Advocate, 94 points