Wine Reviews

A blend of organic 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot (aged in barrique for 16 months), the 2021 Oreno comes in a heavy glass bottle and reveals richly concentrated aromas to match. You get black fruit, toasted barbecue spice, mahogany and smoke. There are pronounced herbal notes with grilled sage and rosemary. This wine definitely embraces a full-bodied, old-school style that is heavily influenced by Bordeaux.

Fruity, floral aromas of dried cherries, raspberries and violets on the nose open up into more savory notes of pencil shavings and hot tar before a palate of more mixed berries rolls over savory, earthy notes, with a hint of orange pith adding astringency through a long, umami-rich finish.

Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it tumbles out with forthcoming notes of juicy black plums and baked blackberries followed by touches of garrigue, unsmoked cigars, and pencil shavings. The full-bodied palate is laden with ripe black fruits and savory accents, supported by firm, grainy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long with compelling purity.

The 2021 Oreno is terrific. In fact, the 2021 is one of the best Orenos I can remember tasting. Aromatic, rich and deep, with tons of textural resonance, the 2021 has so much to offer. Scents of tobacco, espresso, spice, new leather and spice open first, leading to waves of dark, resonant fruit that build over time. Impressive. This is an especially heady, flamboyant Tuscan ted. It’s a style that works quite well in 2021.

Blackcurrants and black cherries with lovely flowers on the nose. Medium-bodied with ultra fine tannins that give focus and tension to the wine. Pretty and poised. A little shy now. From organically grown grapes.