Wednesday, October 27 @7 PM — Our Winetasters@Home series resumes in style – Italian style! We begin the new season with a vertical of Oreno by Tenuta Sette Ponti – from 2006 to 2013. This is a Super Tuscan that aims to rival Sassicaia in quality – but not in price!

Click here to register.

Tenuta Sette Ponti, set on the east side of the Valdarno between Florence and Arezzo is, like many Tuscan estates, multi-faceted. The 750-acre property supports livestock and mixed agriculture, and although viticulture is not new to the estate, winemaking is; until 1997 their 50 hectares of grapes were sold to various respected Tuscan wine producers, among them Piero Antinori.

In 1997, famed footwear designer Antonio Moretti launched Tenuta Sette Ponti with the aim of making refined wines that he thought could rival Sassicaia. No more barefoot treading of the grapes! With the support of respected oenologist Carlo Ferrini, in 1999 he launched their first wines, with the flagship wine Oreno receiving accolades. In 2003, Oreno made the first entry into the WS top 100 list and since then it has repeated that accomplishment 4 more times. Few wines in the world have received such consistent recognition.

Originally, Oreno was a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, but since 2009 the Sangiovese has been omitted and the blends are now the classic Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. We have both assemblages – 2006 & 2007 are 50% Sangiovese, 2008 is 20%, 2009 and on are zero. So you can taste the difference.

As a teaser for those not familiar with Oreno, here’s Jancis Robinson’s note on 2011:

“Mid crimson and manages to be both sweet and savory in a rather attractive way. Merlot with Cabernet Sauvignon and a bit of Petit Verdot from reasonably old vines. Very appetizing and complete. Good stuff. Great balance. Bordeaux with an Italian twist. Quite a bite on the finish. You’d be mad to drink it without food but it’s beautifully balanced. So much better than the Orma. Though made for relatively immediate pleasure.” 17 pts (Superior)

Mark your calendar for Wednesday, October 27, at 7 PM. Members may experience this Google Meet event for $115 ($175 for non-members). Further details appear below, and you can sign up for this event by clicking on this link. You will receive a reply email with payment and other details. Note that this event is limited to 36 tasting sets.

As usual, the 2 OZs of each wine will come carefully decanted into small bottles. 2 oz pours can provide careful samples for two people (our live tastings use 1 1/8 oz pours) – or allow one person to make a ‘more thorough evaluation’ of the wines!

In addition, all of our bottles will now be preserved with a dose of Argon gas before being closed. Argon forms a layer between the wine and oxygen. It is an inert gas so it does not interact with the wine. However, it does prevent oxidation of the wine thereby preserving the freshness and fruitiness of the wine.

Beginning at 3 PM on Wednesday, October 27, you will be able to pick up your tasting package either at the downtown location on Lombard St (Queen & Church) or at the uptown location at Avenue Road and 401 (just north of the 401). Full details will be in the confirmation email.

While this is a tasting, not a dinner event, for those who do not wish to cook that night, we are working on a dinner bundle option from Vintage Conservatory that can be picked up with the wine. Details will be on the website shortly.