Robertparker.com

7 ottobre 2021

I can’t imagine a report to write more fun than this. In this collectionof 90 wines from across Tuscany, I focus on many of the heavyhitters, or the icon wines, that have brought vino italiano to theworld stage. These are the benchmark bottles that have given rise to
the spectacular growth we have seen among worldwide collectors
and the various indices, like Liv-ex or the London International
Vintners Exchange, with regards to Italian fine wines.
In an article published on September 3, 2021, the group registered“the definitive high jump of Italian fine wines” in their Live-ex
Classification 2021. Italy accounted for 83 wines on the index,representing a 112% increase over 2019, or the last time the list
was published.
“Italian wines rank among the top wines of the world as fine wine buyers cast their nets wider anddeeper in search of greater value,” said Liv-ex in their press release.
Arguably, no wine nation has performed better than Italy during these trying pandemic times. Although
we can’t know how long this upward performance trend will last, it has certainly been an exciting ride sofar.
As readers know, I have worked hard these past years to highlight many of these icon wines in special
spotlights and one-off articles timed to the wines’ commercial releases.
Last year, I published a series called The Tuscan Twenty (actually, it started off as The Tuscan Ten, butthen it started to grow). By the end of 2020, my series had gone beyond The Tuscan Twenty, and I
contemplated changing its name once again, to The Tuscan Thirty.
To make things easier, I scratched that idea this year and instead opted to publish this article simply
called “Tuscany: Icons.”
In addition to the wines presented in this article, some of my icon reviews have already been published.
You can find my reviews of the following wines in their respective spotlight articles: Tenuta San Guido
2018 Bolgheri Sassicaia; both the Masseto 2018 Masseto and the Ornellaia 2018 Bolgheri Speriore
Ornellaia; the Marchesi Antinori 2018 Tignanello and the Guado al Tasso 2018 Bolgheri Superiore Guado
al Tasso; the Marchesi Antinori 2018 Solaia; and the Bibi Graetz 2019 Colore and his 2019 Testamatta. Ialso published a barrel sample review of the Petrolo 2018 Galatrona, but I will offer a definitive review ofthat wine in my annual coverage of Tuscany’s tiny Valdarno di Sopra appellation.
I wanted to bring more of the vintners’ voices into my coverage of these Tuscan icon wines, so I mailed
out a brief questionnaire to all of the producers represented in this article and have translated theiranswers here below. I hope you enjoy this format and find it useful.
(…)

The Tenuta di Trinoro 2019 Tenuta di Trinoro – by Andrea Franchetti
1. What was the first year of production for this wine?
1997
2. Which vintages have been released (or vintages in which the wine was not made)?
It was not made in 2002.
3. What was the name of the winemaker at the beginning and the name of the current
winemaker if changed?
Andrea Franchetti
4. How many bottles are produced per year?
10,0005. Is the wine a single vineyard or a blend?
It is from a group of different vineyards.
6. Could you tell me about the spirit/identity of this wine? What is its meaning for you?
The spirit and identity of this wine are the influences of the landscape and life in Val d’Orcia on my soul.
As for the meaning for me of the wine, I make changes according to the vintage.
7. Could you tell me about the evolution (in the vineyard or in terms of enology) that the wine
has undergone over the course of its lifetime?
The wine has improved with my experience and with the aging of the vines.
8. Could you mention two or three bottles (Italian, French or others) that were a direct
inspiration for you when you started this project?
Le Petit Cheval 1990