One of the great wines of the world, the ‘Oreno’ by Tenuta Sette Ponte comes from vineyards located in Chianti, between Arezzo and Florence. The winery is named after the number of bridges that cross the river Arno between the two cities. Their top wine is named after the river that crosses the estate, the ‘Oreno.’ I have enjoyed this seamless wine for many years and have been stuck by the consistency regardless of vintage. The blend is always a combination of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. The wine is always aged in French oak for 18 months and then spends another 12 months in bottle prior to release.
I recently had the chance to visit two of these beautiful wines. Taken from a challenging vintage, the 2014 ‘Oreno’ (OB, 93) is a beautifully balanced effort that is already quite evolved and will cellar well over the next decade. It is a flat out delicious effort that is one of the great wines from 2014 that I have tasted for the price. Even better is the sinfully good 2017 ‘Oreno’ (OB, 95) which is dense, chewy and filled with silky tannins and plenty of depth and finesse. This beautiful wine is sure to impress any lover of Italian Super Tuscans. Learn more about this famed property at https://www.tenutasetteponti.it/tenutasetteponti/en/oreno/ and here are my reviews of the 2014 and 2017 ‘Oreno’ red wines.
2014 Tenuta Sette Ponte ‘Oreno’ Red Wine- Considering the vintage, the color in the 2014 ‘Oreno’ comes off as quite dark. A compelling blend of 45% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petit Verdot, this shows dried herbs, leather and black currant tones that all fill the nose. The palate is lightly tannic with medium-bodied dark fruit flavors alongside shades of orange rind and tobacco leaf come together beautifully. While not as decadent as some other vintages, this comes off with excellent finesse, as this outstanding red blend is drinking marvelously now and will continue to impress over the next decade. Drink 2021-2031- 93
2017 Tenuta Sette Ponte ‘Oreno’ Red Wine- The 2017 Tenuta Sette Ponte ‘Oreno’ Red Wine is a stunning effort that is already beautifully evolved now at the four year mark. 50% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the remainder 10% Petit Verdot, this is ripe and plump once on the mouth with velvety tannins. Broad-shouldered, with gobs of finesse, the wine shows off heady dark fruit flavors with pipe tobacco and bitter chocolate undercurrents. Finishing long with black fruits and minerals, this exceptional ‘Oreno’ will surely cellar well for another fifteen to twenty years. Drink 2021-2037- 95