Tenuta di Trinoro Le Cupole

Tenuta di Trinoro Le Cupole is a Bordeaux-inspired red blend from Tuscany's Orcia Valley, bottled at approximately 14–15% ABV in a standard 750ml format. The 2021 and 2022 vintages each earned 94 points from Wine Advocate, confirming Le Cupole's standing as one of central Italy's most reliable over-performing second wines.

Quick Facts: ABV: ~14–15% (varies by vintage)  |  Origin: Orcia Valley, Tuscany, Italy  |  Bordeaux-Style Red Blend  |  Producer: Tenuta di Trinoro

Production & Heritage

Tenuta di Trinoro was founded by Andrea Franchetti in the remote southeastern corner of Tuscany, near the village of Sarteano. The estate is known for its high-density, meter-by-meter plantings modeled on Bordeaux's Right Bank, with vine cuttings sourced from some of the region's greatest châteaux and planted on clay-limestone and gravel soils reminiscent of Saint-Émilion. Le Cupole, the estate's second wine, is built primarily from Merlot with supporting roles from Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot — the 2022 vintage blends 57% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Franc, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Petit Verdot. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel, followed by aging in one- to three-year-old barriques and a further period in concrete tanks, a regimen that preserves fruit purity while adding measured structure.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with preserved strawberry and baked cherry before shifting into crushed flowers, rose petal, and dried sage. Deeper layers reveal vanilla, tobacco pipe, and a hint of cinnamon-dusted spice.

Palate: On entry, thick layers of blackcurrant and Morello cherry coat the mid-palate, framed by toasted spice and licorice. The texture is plush and full-bodied, with ripe acidity keeping the generous fruit in check. Notes of leather, bay leaf, and blood orange emerge toward the peak, adding savory complexity.

Finish: Medium to long, with fine-grained tannins and a supple, gently savory fade. Lingering impressions of red currant and dried herbs reward patient drinking.

How to Drink Le Cupole

Le Cupole is best served at 16–18°C (60–64°F) in a large-bowled glass. Thirty minutes of decanting opens up the aromatics, particularly on younger vintages, though the wine is approachable enough to pour straight from the bottle. This is fundamentally a food wine — its balanced acidity and moderate tannin structure make it a natural partner at the dinner table rather than in cocktails.

Best For

• Weeknight dinners where you want Tuscan quality without opening a flagship bottle
• Gifting a wine enthusiast who appreciates Bordeaux-style blends from Italian soil
• Building a cellar of age-worthy second wines at an accessible tier
• Hosting an Italian wine tasting alongside Super Tuscans and Brunello

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Le Cupole taste like? Le Cupole delivers concentrated blackcurrant and cherry fruit layered with spice, leather, and floral notes, carried by plush tannins and balanced acidity across a full-bodied frame.

How does Le Cupole compare to Tenuta di Trinoro's grand vin? Le Cupole uses fruit from younger vines and different parcel selections than the flagship Tenuta di Trinoro, resulting in a more immediately approachable wine with slightly less concentration and shorter aging potential, though it shares the same Bordeaux-variety DNA and high-density vineyard philosophy.

Is Le Cupole good for drinking now? Yes — Le Cupole is designed to be enjoyed on release or within five to eight years, though strong vintages like 2021 have enough structure to reward short-term cellaring.

Where is Le Cupole made? Le Cupole is produced at Tenuta di Trinoro in the Orcia Valley near Sarteano, in southeastern Tuscany, Italy, on clay-limestone and gravel soils that echo the terroir of Saint-Émilion in Bordeaux.

What foods pair well with Le Cupole? Braised short ribs work well against the wine's plush tannins; wild boar ragù mirrors its Tuscan roots; aged Pecorino Toscano complements the savory herbal finish; grilled lamb chops echo its spice and leather notes; and roasted eggplant parmigiana matches its fruit density without overwhelming the mid-palate.

What sizes does Le Cupole come in? Le Cupole is widely available in the standard 750ml bottle format.

Is Le Cupole worth the price? Le Cupole positions as a mid-range Tuscan red that consistently punches above its weight — 94-point scores from Wine Advocate place it in the company of wines that often cost significantly more, making it one of the stronger values in the Bordeaux-blend-from-Italy category.

Why Le Cupole?

Few second wines in Italy deliver this level of critical recognition year after year — back-to-back 94-point ratings from Wine Advocate across the 2021 and 2022 vintages underline a consistency that many flagship wines struggle to match. The estate's unusual high-density Bordeaux-style plantings, rare in Tuscany, generate the concentrated fruit that gives Le Cupole its depth without relying on excessive extraction or heavy new oak. Andrea Franchetti's vision of transplanting Right Bank techniques to Tuscan clay-limestone soils created something genuinely distinct from both mainstream Super Tuscans and traditional Chianti. For drinkers who want the intensity of a serious Tuscan red with the elegance of a well-made Bordeaux blend, Le Cupole occupies a category largely its own.