Tenuta di Arceno
Tenuta di Arceno
One pleasure of the wine world is that with each sip of wine, one can taste history.
Tenuta di Arceno is an ancient Tuscan estate now owned by Jackson Family Wines. It has a diverse portfolio in that three wines center on the native Sangiovese grape in the Chianti Classic Collection.
Then three wines are made from the estate’s international varieties under the Toscana IGT designation. A “super Tuscan” if you will.
Tenuta di Arceno - History of the Estate
In 1000, Arceno was mentioned in historic documents.
By 1600, the first villa was built on the estate.
1716 marks the first Chianti wine zone (now known as Chianti Classico) was established by Grand Duke Cosimo III de’ Medici.
The noble Piccolomini family acquired the property and constructed many of its buildings that stand today.
In 1967, the DOC was created followed by the elevation to DOCG in 1984.
In 1994 Jess Jackson and wife Barbara Banke purchased the estate and established Tenuta di Arceno with vigneron Pierre Seillan.
Tenuta di Arceno: The Wines
Chianti Classico Connection
At this Manhattan-based event, I was able to taste the three different Chianti Classico example, including the Tenuta di Arceno Strada al Sasso Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2018, rich and luscious with velvet tannin. This classification is the pinnacle of quality for Chianti Classico.
Tenuto di Arceno: The Super Tuscans
I later tasted the Super Tuscans, made from international grape varieties and therefore carrying the IGT classification.
Il Fauno 2018
This is a Merlot-based blend (54% Merlot) with 32% Cabernet Franc. 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Petit Verdot. It ages for 12–15 months in French Oak.
The wine is rich, with a rich texture that encompasses corduroy to velvet. Elegant wine with fresh acidity and a long finish. Flavors include ripe morello cherry, black currant, ripe plum and vanilla bean.
This Bordeaux-style blend embodies the diversity of the estate and is sourced primarily from the Arceno di Sotto, La Curva, Colombaio and San Giovanni blocks
Arcanum 2015
Cabernet Franc (74%) makes up most of this delicious wine. Ten percent each of both Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon even out the blend with six percent of Petit Verdot.
Succulent flavors of wild cherry, milk chocolate, rose, licorice, and dark earth are just some of the complex flavors in this wine. It ages in French oak for a year.
Arcanum is the pinnacle of the estate’s offerings. Based on Cabernet Franc, the true signature of the estate, built to age but drinkable young.
Arcanum is sourced primarily from the Apparita and Belvedere blocks of Cabernet Franc. With superb exposure and sandy clay soils, each year these blocks
Valadorna 2015
This Merlot-led blend (74%) is a very different wine compared to the other Merlot-based blend, Il Fauno.
The first key difference is that Valadorna has elevated, racy acidity. The reason is that it is sourced primarily from the Valadorna and Capraia blocks.
These two blocks produce the estate’s most complex and mineral-based expressions of this variety. The blocks are located within the cooler part of the estate, naturally irrigated by the stream that undulates through it, and feature sandy brown soils and lower yields than typical. These blocks are often the last Merlot blocks to ripen at the estate.
The other two varieties used are 19% Cabernet Sauvignon 11% Cabernet Franc 5%.
Beyond the acidity, to me the wine really speaks of its terroir with rich black cherry, blackberry, mission figs, and rich, decadent dark chocolate.
In Conclusion
Tenuta di Arceno is an example of an Italian winery blessed with magnificent soils and terroir, producing excellent wine in a myriad of classification levels.
