Tenuta di Trinoro is always comprised of the first selection of grapes, a vintage-specific blend of cabernet franc, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, and petit verdot grown on thin, hard, rocky soils rich in quartz and limestone, which tend to come from the higher parcels of the estate.
Robertparker.com, Monica Larner, 97points: The flagship wine from Tenuta di Trinoro is this gorgeous blend of 92% Cabernet Franc and 8% Merlot. The 2020 Tenuta di Trinoro follows on the heels of the 2019 vintage that earned a perfect 100-point score. The 2020 vintage is more open-knit for sure, but it offers a very special view onto Cabernet Franc in particular. The plush black cherry softness of the Merlot is
aligned magically with the dark intensity and tannic power of the Cabernet Franc. The fruit ripeness is impeccable and there are no green tones, nor are there any overripe nuances. Everything comes together with balance. For the first time, this wine is being released with an extra year of bottle age. 6,000 bottles were made.
Jancis Robinson.com, Jancis Robinson, 18++ points: Exceptionally high Cabernet Franc: 92% (8% Merlot). Very good vintage but released after Andrea Franchetti’s demise by those who survived him. Harvest: Merlot 30 September to 2 October; Cabernet Franc 8–10 October. 6,000 bottles produced. Velvety purple. Lots of tannin and a much more structured wine than earlier vintages. A slower developer. Tea-leaf flavour. Kept back for a year before releasing it. 15% Drink 2028–2048
JamesSuckling.com, James Suckling, 96 points: So perfumed with violets and lavender with some currants. Medium- to full-bodied with polish and finesse. Racy and fine. Finesse with drive. Very elegant and straightforward with a racy texture. Very long and lightly edgy. 92% cabernet franc and 8% merlot. Drink after 2027 but already beautiful.
Decanter.com, James Button, 95points: 2020 continues the recent trend at Trinoro of only using Cabernet Franc and Merlot; but while 2019 represented the largest proportion of Merlot ever, 2020 switches this around to produce an almost pure Cabernet Franc wine, with just 8% Merlot. And it’s with this vintage that Trinoro adds an additional 12 months of maturation in bottle before release – hence this is the newest vintage on the market. Summer heat and drought was followed by four days of rain at the end of September and beginning of October, which cooled temperatures sufficiently to help preserve some acidity and aroma, just before harvest commenced for the Cabernet Franc, from 8-10 October. Balsamic, ripe and fresh, there’s a lovely richness of black berries and black cherry, with notes of cream, cocoa, wood, spice and cola. Super-textural and already complex, it shows a slightly fresher character than 2019, with delicious sapidity on the mid-palate and crunchy acidity. This has the potential to be a great Trinoro in the future, but only 6,000 bottles produced.
Wine Spectator’s, Bruce Sanderson, 96 points: A complex red hallmarked by incisive aromas and flavors of black currant, blackberry, black olive, violet, cedar and graphite. Mouthwatering, with all the elements in harmony. Long finish, revealing fine latent power underneath it all. Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Best from 2026 through 2042.
