Tenuta Sette Ponti lies on historic land in the heart of the Chianti zone at the end of the Via del Monte. Their first release was the 1998 Crognolo, named after a wild bush, Cornus, which grows on the estate. The estate's second release, Oreno, is named after a small river running through the estate. I first came to know of the Sette Ponti name when the 2001 vintage of Oreno was released. I would say that was their break-out year when the Oreno received 95 points from Robert Parker.
Each year the Sette Ponti estate has ratcheted up the quality and regularly receives above 90 point scores from the critics. Their newest arrival and release is the that just received a huge score from James Suckling of . In fact, James Suckling called this “…the best ever Crognolo.”
We were very eager to give this wine a try when it recently arrived. Once we pulled the cork and poured our first glass, we knew we were in for a treat. The wine had an intense ruby red color and a fruity, spicy bouquet with ripe cherries, blackberries and currants. The tannins were polished and smooth, and it had a very long finish. I’d say it’s one of the best Crognolo’s I’ve had to date, and I think it would give their flagship wine, Oreno, a run for its money. This wine is a huge value as well, .
With the upcoming holidays, cold weather and everything fun about these next couple months, I can’t think of a better wine to serve up. This would pair nicely with a stew, roast or any other hearty dish for that matter. For those early holiday shoppers, it also makes a great holiday gift too!