2018 Trinoro

Very hot before July then a wetter, cooler summer. Dry September so they ‘misted the fields [see note on the 2017] to give the grapes the final push’. 59% Cabernet Franc, 41% Merlot. Harvest: Merlot 16–21 September; Cabernet Franc 10, 13, 14 October. 7,000 bottles produced. Very deep crimson. Classic ripe-vintage bordeaux smell. Really sweet and glamorous. Maybe a little less typically Tuscan but a glorious wine with the fruit (just) trumping the tannin. More accessible than most. Neat balance. (JR)

The highlight in this range, the 2018 Tenuta di Trinoro is fabulous. A rush of raspberry jam, mint, blood orange, pomegranate and sweet spice races out of the glass. The Tenuta is opulent, and yet all the elements are so well balanced, so harmonious. In the 2018, readers will find a flashy, intense wine that is undeniably alluring.

Andrea Franchetti's 2018 Tenuta di Trinoro reminds me of the wines he made a decade ago or more. This dark, full and concentrated red blend shows a good amount of the power and the ripe, fruit-forward appeal that I associate with the wines made from those golden years from 2001 to 2007. There is a beautiful fullness and opulence here that wraps thickly over the palate with blackberry, rum cake, charred meat and black licorice. This blend of 59% Cabernet Franc and 41% Merlot offers up aromas of spice, mahogany and some of the grilled herbs or rosemary that you would associate with the Cabernet. The finish is super long and rich, with elegant tannins and lasting fruit momentum. Despite that slightly retro or nostalgic full-throttle bouquet that I described above, the mouthfeel is more tapered, fine and ethereal that you might expect. Some 7,000 bottles were made. You get all sorts of surprises from this beautiful, soulful wine.