Tenuta Sette Ponti, Crognolo IGT, Tuscany, Italy, 2022

Producer Profile

Driven by a passionate interest in wine since his youth, Antonio Moretti Cuseri assumed control of his father’s vineyards Castiglion Fibocchi in the 1990s, and worked alongside the best viticulturists and oenologists to evaluate the land’s suitability for producing quality wines before launching his own brand.

Tenuta Sette Ponti takes its name from the seven bridges that cross the Arno river on the road from Florence to Arezzo (one of them, the Buriano, is depicted in Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa). Antonio eventually stopped selling grapes to other producers and in 1998 released his first label, Crognolo – made from clones of historic Sangiovese vines in the estate’s oldest vineyard, Vigna dell’Impero. The following year he released the first vintage of Oreno – a a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot that after only three harvests featured high in the world wine rankings. By this time it was already clear that Antonio’s passion for his vines and in-depth research into the age-old art of Tuscan winemaking was making it possible to make wines of exceedingly high quality. In 2018, Antonio’s children began collaborating with their father: Amedeo is the winery director and Italian market manager, and Alberto is the communications and export director. This new generation is carrying forward the strong values laid down by their father, but with an eye to the future and the way the wine market is changing. Today, the wines of Tenuta Sette Ponti feature strongly in the Italian lifestyle, fashion and event industries, and are consistent presence on the international scene, representing Italian flair and style at its very best.

Viticulture

Crognolo is the first wine of Tenuta Sette Ponti, vinified since 1998 from a wine project led by the Moretti Cuseri family. An elegant Sangiovese-based super Tuscan, endowed with a unique identity showing the balance of the territory and vines the best selection of a unique clone of Sangiovese found in the Vigna dell'Impero in 1935 and cultivated and now grown in the estate's Sangiovese vineyards. A small addition of Merlot is added to give roundness and complexity.

Winemaking

A temperature-controlled fermentation and maceration for 20 days. The wine is then aged for 12 to 14 months in small barrels, 40% of which is new.

Tasting Note

The ruby red colour is a prelude to an intense and complex nose, rich in red fruits such as cherries and berries, floral notes such as violets, herbs and spicy notes, giving class and elegance. Structured, complex, mineral and round, it suggests excellent aging capabilities. The name comes from a wild plant “the cornus” that grows abundantly on the estate.

Food Matching

A wine for fine cuts of meats, game and braised red meat.

Awards

James Suckling 94 Points
Fresh strawberries and cherries with some orange peel and flowers. Cedar, black olive and violet undertones. Medium-bodied with firm and racy tannins that give energy and focus. Tangy and fresh with slightly bitter citrus on the palate at the end. 90% sangiovese and 10% merlot. Drink or hold. 94 Points, JS, August 2023.