2012 Tenuta di Arceno Valadorna Toscana IGT 750 ml

The hills of Chianti Classico have long been famous for Sangiovese.

That doesn’t mean they’re not perfect for Bordeaux varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Some of the most revered bottles from the area—Antinori’s Solaia and Tignanello, Castello di Ama’s L’Apparita, and Rampolla’s D’Alceo—are all Bordeaux-influenced, and they all sell for many multiples of their Sangiovese-based counterparts. 

So in 1994, when American vintner Jess Jackson laid eyes on Tenuta di Arceno—which lies north of Castelnuovo Berardenga, near the likes of Fèlsina and Castello di Bossi—he had Bordeaux varieties on his mind for the well-draining, infertile stony galestro and albarese (limestone) soils. By 1996, with the help of his ace winemaker Pierre Seillan, he had a plan to completely replant these vineyards.

After making an exhaustive soil and topography study, the team identified 63 “micro-crus”—small plots that would suit Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot perfectly. Less than two decades later, now with mature vines, they were blessed with a phenomenal 2012 vintage—one that Wine Advocate rated 96 points, calling it “extraordinary”—and it begat the 2012 Valadorna.

This bottle is the result of the expertise of master vigneron Pierre Seillan—who has racked up over a dozen 100-point scores at Verité—and 17 years of patience and capital poured into the project. With swirling aromatics and a velvety and rich, yet somehow detailed and elegant palate, this is as good as it gets anywhere near the price. We can’t wait to crack our own bottles with a bistecca alla fiorentina cooked on the hearth, and we know you’ll love it.