Only very few well informed wine followers have ever heard of this remarkable wine estate. Situated nowhere from anywhere in a remote and wild corner of Tuscany, consisting of 100 acres between 400/ 650 metres ASL, Tenuta di Trinoro was the creation of Andrea Franchetti: the Italian visionary that was its owner/wine marker.
Born to an American mother and an Italian father, Andrea was a free spirit at heart, with many interests in commercial activities including becoming a restaurateur, a wine importer and until his untimely passing on December 7th, 2020, a pioneer of Italian wine.
His involvement with the world of wine making began when in the 1980’s, he purchased the ruins of a country home in the Val d’ Orcia and proceeded to restore it, along with the intention of making wine. Surrounded by a barren wilderness, on the border of Tuscany and Lazio, this area had no history of producing wine then or now, except for Tenuta di Trinoro.
The major stumbling block to his ‘grand vision’ was Andrea’s total lack of experience in the field of winemaking. Not one to be deterred in his quest, Andrea took himself off to the area producing the wines he enjoyed, Bordeaux, France, to experience what he was lacking, not only in mechanical learning but the philosophy and soul of great wine making. He was very fortunate to meet the likes of Peter Vinding expert in yeast strains, his cousin, Peter Sisseck, of the famed Spanish winery Pingus, Alain Vautheir of Chateau Ausone and Ruc Thunévin of Chateau Valandraud.
Andrea planted his first vines in 1991, from cuttings brought over from Bordeaux, and in 1997 after years of trials and experimenting, his first vintage of Tenuta di Trinoro was released.
Interestingly, he was the first Italian wine producer recorded to sell his wines ‘en premier’ in France.
In 2000 another venture captured Andrea’s imagination: Buying existing vineyards on the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily at an altitude of 1000 metres. There he proceeded to plant non native grape varieties such as Petit Verdot, Cesanese d’ Affile and Chardonnay, alongside local Nerello Mascalese. Andrea was one of the first winemakers to recognise the individual terroirs of various lava flows, aided by his friend Peter Vinding-Diers for the first 3 years. This estate became known under the name Passopisciaro.
On a grey drizzly first Sunday morning in March 2025, I find myself at the Tenuta di Trinoro estate at the invitation of Lene Buccelli, Head of Marketing, a good friend first met at Biondi Santi, with Francesco Mastrosimone and Francesco Bonomi of Tesori Liquidi, who organise blind wine tastings around Italy.
This tasting event included: Tenuta di Trinoro 2015, 2013,1998 (blind), and 2021 (not blind), along with Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou 1981 (blind) and Ornellaia 1999 (also blind).
After the blind tasting and discussion, I was also offered the Tenuta di Trinoro’s other labels:
Palazzi 2020, Campo di Camagi 2016, Campo di Magnacosta 2016, Campo di Tenaglia 2016, followed by their Bianco Trinoro to refresh the palate.
Tasting Notes:
Tenuta di Trinoro 2021
Merlot 60% Cabernet Sauvignon 40%
Intense ruby red in colour with dark purple undertones. Aromatics of dark blue florals and dried Mediterranean herbs. Blackcurrant, blackberry, Bing cherry and distant salty liquorice. Silky on the palate showing energy and youthful character. Good textural depth. Tapers slightly from mid palate to a medium length finish. Needs bottle age.
Points 95-97 TW
Tenuta di Trinoro 2015
Cabernet Franc 50%. Merlot 36% Cabernet Sauvignon 10% Petit Verdot 4%
Although the Cabernet Franc is dark and complex it’s the Merlot that carries this wine.
Ruby red in colour. Red cherry, black berry fruits, tobacco, violet and bluebell florals, spice notes.
Impressive textural depth. Finely grained tannins have almost completed their journey. Acidity still showing a pulse and driving the energy. Poised. Racy and luscious. Articulated on the close.
Points 96 TW
Tenuta di Trinoro 2013
Weather note: The summer temperatures that year were 10C lower than the average. The vines had very little assistance from the sun. The grapes were kept long on the lees to deepen. Most of the fruit came from the higher vineyards where the clusters had hung the longest. Not showing much aromatics. Cherry, plum, distant tobacco and mellow spice. Persistent. Non aggressive tannins vie with mellow acidity. Linear. Savoury. Wide and rich fruity finish.
Points 95 TW
Tenuta di Trinoro 1998 Magnum
Cabernet Franc 80% Cabernet Sauvignon 10% Petit Verdot 10%.
A great treat to taste this from magnum. A very difficult hot weather vintage. Only watering at night and riddling saved the vintage. Cool September with a little rain was helpful with cold nights and night dew beginning of October. Merlot was picked in early October in two days followed by Cabernet Franc in mid October picked in three days. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot a couple of weeks later.
This wine has a lot to tell in its race against time. Only after many bottle years we can experience aromas of crushed florals including rose, dried fruits and balsamic nuances. Plump and rich on entry becoming elegant and graceful on the long close.
Points 97 TW
Ornellaia 1999
Cabernet Sauvignon 60% Cabernet Franc 20% Merlot 15% Petit Verdot 5%
Intense ruby red in colour with purple undertones. Violet and rose petal florals with ripe black berry fruits account for the aromatic profile with perhaps distant sweet tobacco notes. Wild cherry, dewberry, distant blackcurrant, dark spice. Still a long way to go on its journey.
Points 94+ TW
Tenuta di Trinoro
Palazzi 2020
Merlot 100%
Deep ruby red in colour with India ink spots. The aromatic profile reads like the cast list of Ben Hur: blackberry, blueberry, plum, leather, dark chocolate, spice, sweet tobacco, graphite and grilled herbs. Medium to full bodied. Rich and potent. Showing finesse and class. Tannins are a touch brutal but will soften due to vidid acidity and fruit quality. Persistent. Muscular yet agile.
Points 96+ TW
Tenuta di Trinoro
Bianco di Trinoro 2023
Semillon
Bright clear straw yellow in colour with greenish hues. Aromas of yellow flowers such as buttercup, daffodil and distant bergamot. Yellow peach, Honeydew melon, mulberry, lime leaves, pomelo and star fruit. Zingy acidity with crunchy, fresh tannins. Agile. Leaves a clean mouthfeel, after an articulated, juicy, long finish.
Points 92 TW
My sincere thanks for the kind invitation to such a special event go to Lene Buccelli, Head of Marketing at Tenuta di Trinoro and Benjamin Franchetti custodian of his father’s legacy.
I also wish to thank Francesco Mastrosimone and Francesco Bonomi of Tesori Liquidi, who organised and conducted the blind tasting.
© Tony Wood Italian Wine 2025
Very interesting to read about a winery that I have never heard about. Good that you mention the wine makers that inspired Andrea, this gives a better understanding of his style of wines.