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Le Cupole 2019 75cl

IGT | Tuscany | Italy
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Critics scores
93 By Robert Parker
This is a terrific value proposition. The 2019 Le Cupole is a blend of 47% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Petit Verdot. The first vintage was made in 1995, and although these four varieties have been used in the blend since the beginning, the various percentages change according to vintage conditions. This long 2019 growing season was a little more challenging for the late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. The wine delivers plenty of rich concentration and ripeness, but there is also a pureness to the fruit that happily underscores its cheerful and informal personality.<br/>"Tenuta di Trinoro is a vast mosaic of soil types," says proprietor Andrea Franchetti, who lives in a rustic farmhouse overlooking the vines. The high-density vines are over 20 years old and their root systems are fully developed. The estate counts 23 hectares of vines between 400 and 620 meters in altitude. Cabernet Franc and Merlot are the heart of the estate, and there are smaller plots of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot as well. High-density planting, fruit selection in the vineyard, low yields, full phenolic ripeness and concentration give these wines a unique and unmistakable personality, Franchetti explains: "The wines are extreme in their perfumes, color and taste. They can be enjoyed in the near term but are also built for long aging."<br/>
Producer
Tenuta di Trinoro
Found in the most remote corners of the region, where Tuscany meets Umbria and Lazio, there lies Tenuta di Trinoro. Andrea Franchetti established the estate upon this virgin wine territory of Sarteano in 1992. Today, Franchetti remains one of the most extreme winemakers in Italy, continuing to push traditional French viticulture models. He planted Bordeaux varieties at altitudes up to 500-700 meters, at super high densities, and then picks them as late as possible, even in November. He goes on to vinify every little parcel individually so he can meticulously monitor each one’s development, selecting only the best for the Tenuta di Trinoro cuvée. Clearly, the terroir is particular, given not only its lavishness but also the originality that it brings to the wines. Low-yields also enhance the wine’s structured black fruit and wild herb essences. As much as we admire Franchetti’s Tenuta di Trinoro – based on Cabernet Franc with small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot – his second label, Le Cupole, offers a quality-price ratio that is too good to believe.