Tenuta Le Colonne

Blended from 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Cabernet Franc, this shows both varieties in clear profile, with the Franc component more prominent in the bouquet but the Sauvignon taking control in the midpalate and through the finish. Truly full-bodied but still fresh, with the leafy aromatic notes providing an elegant and complex introduction, this succeeds by dint of its combination of natural fruit sweetness with dark fruit intensity. The oak is barely evident (large, un-toasted casks were used for 24 months of aging according to the producer’s website), and the tannins are very well measured in relation to the fruit, which persists through the finish, staving off any excess astringency (even when tasted in a long lineup or hearty wines in the absence of food). Impressively proportioned and balanced, this is well worth seeking out for its accessibility, though it will clearly improve for another decade. 96 Michael Franz

Shimmering ruby with a garnet-red rim. Very pronounced on the nose, lots of savouriness, juniper, some coriander, then cedar and tobacco. Opens full-bodied on the palate with rich fruit, mouth-filling in texture and length, grippy, interwoven tannins, densely structured, somewhat pithy, shows very good certain ageing potential.