2012 Sette Ponti, Oreno, IGT

Fabulous aromas of blackberries, orange peel, raspberries and citrus. Violets too. Full body, ultra-fine tannins and a light, dusty texture. It's so fine and beautiful, racy and refined. Very structured indeed but also soulful and very, very inspiring. There's a new refinement to this wine as the winemakers search for a truly beautiful expression of the terroir. Better in 2017 but a joy to taste now.

The 2012 Oreno is dark, powerful and voluptuous. A host of black cherry jam, mocha, spice and violet open up in the glass, all propelled by a real sense of power. The tannins are broad and intense, so readers will have to give the 2012 at least a few years to settle down. Super-ripe, explosive and concentrated, the Oreno is one of the more overt wines of the vintage.

Tenuta Sette Ponti's 2012 Oreno is a very different wine compared to its 2011 predecessor. This was also a warm vintage, yet the fruit is more masculine and sober in this vintage. The wine shows harder lines and a more determined style with shapely tannins and long flavors of dark spice, blackberry and bitter chocolate. Oreno should age beautifully over the next ten years. The blend is 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot (Monica Larner)