2006 Tenuta di Trinoro

Proprietor Andrea Franchetti continues to turn out some of the most inspired wines in Italy. Franchetti pushes ripeness to the extreme, letting his fruit hang far longer than is the norm, which can cause problems as the growing season moves into the fall and the risk of inclement weather increases. To be sure, his is a high-risk, high-reward approach few winemakers would have the stomach for. From year to year the blend in his top bottling, Tenuta di Trinoro, varies considerably, but one thing is a constant; the wines are almost always outstanding and often profound expressions of these terroirs as interpreted by Franchetti. In recent years the second wine, Le Cupole di Trinoro, has established as a terrific wine that won't break the bank. For those who are curious, the cellar itself is as bare-bones as they come. The wines are fermented in smallish stainless steel tanks which allow Franchetti to vinify separate lots of fruit individually. The wines are aged in French barrels.