Winemaker Notes
#71 James Suckling Top 100 Wines of the World 2025
Ruby red with violet hues. Intense and broad aromatic baggage, where notes of succulent red fruits emerge and give way to spicy characters of licorice and roasted coffee. Powerful and structured, with velvety tannins in balance with a vibrant, crisp character. Finish of remarkable length and savoriness.
Pair with fine meats, game noble, and braised red meats.
Blend: 45% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Dark and complex wine, earthy and concentrated yet balanced. Vibrant aromas of cassis, violets, licorice, pencil shavings and graphite. Full-bodied, it displays a dynamic palate with dense, velvety tannins, fruit concentration and crisp, integrated acidity, which keeps it in balance. 45% merlot, 30% cabernet sauvignon, 20% cabernet franc, and 5% petit verdot. Gorgeous now, but even better in two or three years and beyond.
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Wine Enthusiast
Sanguine, earthy on the nose, with hot tar, pepper, crushed rocks, pencil shavings, and black plum. Ripe black fruit and warm citrus light up the palate before a spicy, peppery finish rounded by polished tannins and energized by insistent acid. Beautifully constructed—I am already on record as being a big fan of the new blend, and I think the 2023 shows things continue to head in a promising direction.
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Wine Spectator
This is concentrated with cherry, blackberry, plum, iron, sweet spice and tar flavors. Muscular tannins leave a firm grip on the finish, yet overall, this red feels balanced and crunchy. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.
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Vinous
Just bottled, the 2023 Oreno is another super-attractive wine in this range. The 20% Cabernet Franc, new to Oreno starting in 2022, really comes though in the wine's deeply pitched, spiced profile. Cedar, pipe tobacco, dried herbs, mocha and rose petal meld into a core of dark red-toned fruit. This is a hugely promising wine. Rating: 94+
Legendary in Italy for its Renaissance art and striking landscape, Tuscany is also home to many of the country’s best red wines. Sangiovese reigns supreme here, as either the single varietal, or a dominant player, in almost all of Tuscany’s best.
A remarkable Chianti, named for its region of origin, will have a bright acidity, supple tannins and plenty of cherry fruit character. From the hills and valleys surrounding the medieval village of Montalcino, come the distinguished and age-worthy wines based on Brunello (Sangiovese). Earning global acclaim since the 1970s, the Tuscan Blends are composed solely of international grape varieties or a mix of international and Sangiovese. The wine called Vine Nobile di Montepulciano, composed of Prognolo Gentile (Sangiovese) and is recognized both for finesse and power.