Tenuta di Trinoro

Key Highlights

• Signature estate with a founder-driven origin story: Andrea Franchetti built Tenuta di Trinoro from scratch in the remote Val d'Orcia, restoring a fortified farmhouse and redefining what this inland corner of Tuscany could produce.
• Bordeaux varieties, Tuscan intensity: Cabernet Franc and Merlot lead the blends, delivering dense, structured reds with dark fruit, graphite, spice, and the tension to age.
• Micro-production bottlings—anchored by the flagship "premier vin" Tenuta di Trinoro—are increasingly collector-driven and fit naturally on elite lists alongside Right Bank Bordeaux and top Super Tuscans.

OWNERSHIP, LOCATION & ESTATE OVERVIEW
Tenuta di Trinoro sits in the hills of Sarteano in the Val d'Orcia of southern Tuscany, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape. When Andrea Franchetti arrived, this remote inland valley—at the meeting point of Tuscany, Lazio, and Umbria—had little modern wine history. He restored a fortified farmhouse, studied in Bordeaux, and planted high-density vineyards beginning in 1991, using Cabernet Franc and Merlot among his core "suitcase clones." The first Tenuta di Trinoro vintage in 1997 drew immediate critical attention, establishing the estate as one of Italy's most singular fine-wine projects. After Franchetti's death in 2021, his son Benjamin leads the estate.
FARMING, VINEYARDS & VAL D'ORCIA TERROIR
Val d'Orcia soils are a mix of blue clay, limestone, and gravel. Franchetti focused on the right combinations—avoiding heavy, waterlogged clay in favor of mixed sites where roots can go deep and regulate water. The result is a mosaic of small parcels with subtle differences, giving the blends nuance and shape.
WINEMAKING & WINE STYLE
Trinoro is planted exclusively to Bordeaux varieties, led by Cabernet Franc and Merlot, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot in support. The flagship Tenuta di Trinoro is the "premier vin," selected from the finest barrels for depth, detail, and long aging. Le Cupole is the second wine—same parcels and varieties, made in a more approachable style and larger volume. Palazzi is a Merlot-driven cuvée, and Bianco di Trinoro is a small-production Sémillon. The reds are dense and structured, marked by dark fruit, graphite, and spice—Bordeaux in architecture, Tuscany in intensity—built to evolve with time.
WHY THESE VAL D'ORCIA REDS BELONG IN YOUR CELLAR
This is a true micro-production, collector-driven estate: remote origins, rigorous parcel work, and a distinctive inland Tuscan terroir that delivers power with precision. Cabernet Franc and Merlot set the tone—deep color, dark fruit, graphite, and tension—wines that reward patience and stand comfortably beside top Super Tuscans, Right Bank Bordeaux, and serious Napa Cabernet on a premium list.