Tenuta Sette Ponti, Oreno IGT, Tuscany, Italy, 2022
Producer Profile
Tenuta Sette Ponti is a family‑owned Tuscan estate located between Florence and Arezzo in the Valdarno area, with a history dating back to the 13th century.
Acquired by the Moretti family in the 1950s and transformed into a leading wine producer from the late 1990s, the estate is now recognised for its high‑quality Super Tuscan wines. Combining tradition with innovation, it focuses on producing elegant, structured wines that express both the heritage and diversity of its terroir.
Viticulture
This label was born in 1999 with the idea of creating an elegant Bordeaux blend with a Tuscan touch. Relying on renowned nurseryman Gilbert Bouvet, they graft adult vineyards with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, which are well adapted to the Tuscan terrain. The name comes from a stream, Oreno, which runs through the estate, right in the area richest in clay where precisely our Merlot plants grow. While in the soils with a greater presence of pebbles, which ensure perfect drainage and perform a self-regulating function of temperature and humidity, Cabernet Sauvignon finds its natural place. Perfectly complementing the blend is Petit Verdot, traditionally used as a carrier of spicy notes and flavour intensity. Vines are on average 20 to 30 years old around 250 metres above sea level, cordon trellis grown.
Winemaking
A temperature-controlled fermentation and maceration for about 25 days with a manual punching down of the cap, followed by aging in small French Barrique for 18 months, 30% of which is new.
Tasting Note
Oreno conquers with its extreme intensity and olfactory complexity rich in fruity notes of ripe small red fruits and berry jam, fused with balsamic notes of eucalyptus, chocolate, cocoa and spices. The mouthfeel is enveloping, warm and soft, the elegant tannins and long, unforgettable persistence enhanced by a delicious savouriness. The body, finesse and harmony make it a wine of extraordinary potential.
Food matching
Full flavoured meats, game, roasted and braised red meat.
Awards
Wine Advocate 94/100
An organic blend of 45% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, the Tenuta Sette Ponti 2022 Oreno is a full-bodied Tuscan red with a big delivery of black fruit aromas. It comes at you at once, and the blend is seamless in the sense that you can't make out any one single variety, although interestingly, Cabernet Franc was added for the first time. It closes with sweet tannins and big richness that is never too heavy or bulky. In fact, it closes with medium intensity. This is a release of 49,000 bottles. 94 Points, ML, February 2025.
James Suckling 99/100
There’s a purity and beauty to this that impresses you the minute you put your nose in the glass. So aromatic. Flowers, graphite, blackcurrants and hints of gunmetal. Medium- to full-bodied with tannins that coat your mouth but give a feeling of fine cashmere. The length and intensity is calm but rather endless. 45% merlot, 40% cabernet sauvignon,10% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot. From organically grown grapes. Best after 2028. 99 Points, JS, April 2024.
Decanter 95/100
Oreno has transformed from a wine based on 50% Sangiovese in 2008 to a wine which completely omits the Tuscan varietal in favour of an international blend. In 2022, the percentage of Petit Verdot tops out at 15% – around 5% more than normal – because the hot and dry vintage resulted in very good quality berries of the minor Bordeaux variety. Is it better than the 2021? Tasting both together, the 2021 is richer and sturdier, while 2022 is more immediately accessible: pure, ripe and intense, it displays vibrant red and black berries along with a streak of balsamic herbs and tangy pomegranate. It has wonderful verticality, with a soft and fleshy core and super-fresh edges, supported by sweet, grippy tannins and some creamy wood. Aged in light- and medium-toast barriques, I'm told the proportion of new oak is being reduced. 95 Points, JB, February 2024.
Merlot 50%,
Cabernet Sauvignon 40%,
Petit Verdot 10%
Oak Ageing
Time:
18 Months
Type:
Small French Barrique
% wine oaked:
100
% new oak:
30
Vegetarian
Vegan
Organic
Closure
Colour
Case Size
