When Will Hargrove sent me an invite to join him and the team for a masterclass with Andrea Franchetti from Tenuta di Trinoro, I jumped at the opportunity. The master of Italian Cabernet Franc, Andrea makes world-famous Bordeaux blends, which are difficult to get hold of due to its tiny production. Few producers have been described by the leading critics as ‘endearingly frank’ (Jancis Robinson MW) and ‘brutally candid in a marketing-conscious world’ (Antonio Galloni) and I was as much looking forward to meeting Andrea in person as tasting a vertical of his Grand Vin Tenuta di Trinoro.

The term ‘visionary’ is often over-used in the wine trade, but rather apt in describing Andrea; he is independent, unorthodox and highly intelligent and makes some seriously good wine. He broke with local custom when he planted Bordeaux varieties in Tuscany in 1992 in an area where vines had not been planted for over a century. Tenuta di Trinoro is located in Val d’Orcia in the south of Tuscany on the border with Umbria and Lazio at altitude (between 500-700m). This cooling influence allows for an extended ripening period (130 days from flowering compared to 100 days in Bordeaux) giving an extra dimension to the wines.

As Andrea explains the history behind the estate, it quickly becomes apparent that he is driven by a passion for making a wine that he loves in a place that he loves. The breathtaking views persuaded him to build his winery in this location and a personal preference for Bordeaux blends resulted in the plantings of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. A bottle of 1990 Le Petit Cheval focused Andrea’s attention towards Cabernet Franc. Having spent a few years in Bordeaux choosing rootstock, cuttings and learning about viticulture, Andrea produced his first vintage of Tenuta di Trinoro in 1997 to general acclaim (there are some experimental bottlings of Le Cupole from 1995 and 1996). As his vines come of age, Andrea continues to experiment and since 2005 he has reduced the time in new oak to 5-6 months (it used to be 18 months) with a further 6 months in cement. In addition, he has started introducing some Hungarian oak alongside French.

Wine is a metamorphose of soil, variety, climate and wine-maker and Andrea takes this to the extreme. The tiny production of Tenuta di Trinoro (around 600 cases) and comparative large amount of second wine Le Cupole (around 4000 cases) gives Andrea a freedom that others can only envy. It quickly becomes clear that there is no house blend for Tenuta di Trinoro; 2012 is made with a majority of Cabernet Sauvignon and 2011 is almost a 100% Cabernet Franc. If some wine-makers pay lip service to making the ‘best wines for the best plots’, Andrea is truly guided by the influence of vintage conditions on the individual varieties in their specific plots.

So the wines…

2012 Tenuta di Trinoro
(66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot). This is the first time Cabernet Sauvignon represents more than half of the blend. Andrea is excited about the increasing quality of the variety as a result of changing weather patterns, which he describes as more ‘tropical’ with less extremes in summer. With its creamy youthfulness it feels like sacrilege to open the 2012 now. The bold ripeness on the nose continues on the palate, but the soft red fruit and inherent fatness of the wine is balanced with the linear focus of Cabernet Sauvignon and a peppery spice on the finish. Overall a very expressive wine, which will be fascinating to follow throughout its life-time.

2011 Tenuta di Trinoro
(90% Cabernet Franc, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot). Since tasting a bottle of 1990 Petit Cheval, Andrea has a soft-spot for Cabernet Franc and in most vintages it represents a majority of the blend. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that he describes the 2011 as his ‘favourite vintage of recent vintages’. There is a mouth-coating glycerin richness on the palate with notes of dried currant and sweet redcurrant jelly wrapped around a powerful core of dark brooding fruit and a finish that lasts in excess of one minute.

2009 Tenuta di Trinoro
(42% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Franc, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot). Described by Andrea as the vintage in which ‘everything was perfect, each parcel was perfect’, he almost waited so long to harvest that he ‘risked getting in trouble’. An exotic, dense aroma follows through on the palate with thick layers of velvety red fruit, Asian spice, and a touch of smoky bacon on the finish. These are bold wines with an opulent fiery richness, but somehow perfectly balanced with the dense finely grained tannins playing a key role. As the evening continued this wine kept evolving and showing its nuances.

2007 Tenuta di Trinoro
(40% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot). 2007 was an incredibly hot year with tiny berries and little liquid or in Andrea’s words ‘80% of the matter in the vats was skins’. The resulting wine is easily mistaken for a right-bank Bordeaux. The core of dark richness has a suede-like texture with lifted floral notes and leather with a touch of balsamic on the finish. From the five modern vintages, this is the most beguilingly aromatic.

2006 Tenuta di Trinoro (from magnum)
(51.5% Merlot, 30.5% Cabernet Franc, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot). The first wine that is starting to show some secondary notes from ageing adding an extra dimension of complexity. An exceptional long and dry growing season has added a glossy exotic edge to the ripe dense damson fruit, which is intertwined with earthy notes of truffles, soy and sweet spice. Followed by an intense length that continues to give and give and give.

2001 Tenuta di Trinoro
(48% Cabernet Franc, 22% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot). Described by Andrea as ‘the best wine I ever made’. Andrea compares the weather conditions to 2009 ‘easy, perfect, full ripening without having to wait’. This has a voluptuous rich nose and a palate bursting with fruit (ripe blueberries, damson fruit, redcurrents). The white spice from the oak is seamlessly integrated adding more layers of complexity. It is an expressive wine and returning to this later in the evening it keeps evolving. Though perfectly ready to drink now, I would happily follow its development for another decade or more.

1999 Tenuta di Trinoro
(70% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot). The first vintage that Andrea made in his new winery and he clearly remembers the cold and rain in winter that almost drove him out of the winery. The wine is a testament to Andrea’s sheer stubbornness. With surprising volume on the palate it has an incredibly lifted quality with violets and blue fruit interwoven with dried fig and oregano and a sweet-savoury note on the finish that balances on the edge of volatility. The tannins are totally ripe adding to the lifted quality of this wine. Around the room, this wine caused most comments with some enraptured as others voiced uncertainty.

1998 Tenuta di Trinoro
(70% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot). A similar blend to 1999 and a completely different wine! If 1999 on the nose is reminiscent of Italy, then 1998 is reminiscent of a warm vintage right bank Bordeaux. The core of concentrated sweet fruit is still present, but has mellowed with age to reveal the silky allure of age with notes of olive tapenade, dried herbs and licorice and a dollop of Asian spice from oak. There is a slight austerity to the tannins not found in the recent vintages, but works as it gives freshness to the sweet fruit.

1997 Tenuta di Trinoro
Andrea calls 1997 ‘an overvalued vintage in Italy….2001 is truly great’, yet 1997 Tenuta di Trinoro is a very spcial wine. It is always a treat to taste the inaugural wine of an estate. Defying my expectation, this is a great example that young vines can sometimes make great wine. There is real concentration at the core with notes of raisins, herbs de provance, sweet oak. Though fully mature, there is no rush to finish the bottles.

Overall a fascinating tasting that not only displays the high quality at Tenuta di Trinoro, but also the journey that Andrea has made to fulfill a passion. The wines share a profound concentration, but each vintage has a character of its own that reflects the character of the season and the decisions in the vineyard. I was deeply impressed with the range, but personally prefer the more recent styles with less time in oak showing more precise nuances of flavour.