Tenuta Sette Cieli Tenuta Sette Cieli Scipio 2016 750ml

The 2016 Scipio, the estate’s top Cabernet Franc, is impressive. Deep and powerful in the glass, the 2016 packs a serious punch. Dark macerated cherries in liqueur, spice, leather, sweet pipe tobacco and dried herbs are some of the many nuances that come alive in the glass. Broad and resonant, the Scipio shows the darker, more brooding side of Franc off to great effect. Hopefully the tannins will soften from here, as there is quite a bit of potential. The 2016 is one of the finest wines I have tasted from Sette Cieli. (Antonio Galloni)

A beautifully crafted young wine with crushed berries, lilacs and violets. It’s full-bodied with soft, round tannins and a polished finish. Shows lovely winemaking and finesse for a young wine. Cabernet franc. Try after 2022, to give it time to soften and come together.

This is really singing today, with effusive aromas of cassis, leather, black pepper and vanilla. A mineral component enters on the palate, with a firm backbone of tannins. Stays long and fresh on the lingering aftertaste. Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2023. 700 cases made. (Bruce Sanderson)

Made entirely from Cabernet Franc, this opens with aromas of blueberry, cedar and a whiff of rosemary. The juicy polished palate offers red currant, raspberry and Mediterranean herb. It closes on a vanilla note. Drink through 2022. (Kerin O’Keefe)

The 2010 Scipio, the estate’s pure Cabernet Franc, is powerful and intense. It is also the least overt of the estate’s wines. Savory and floral notes abound, while the fruit is a touch dried out and pushed to the background. There is plenty of intrigue, but not quite the exotic raciness that Franc is capable of in Maremma. Of all the Sette Cieli offerings, the Scipio is the wine that appears to still be a work in progress. (Antonio Galloni)

This Cabernet Franc opens with dark-skinned berry, bell pepper and tobacco aromas. The savory, balanced palate features juicy black currant, mocha and licorice alongside fine-grained tannins. Drink through 2025. (Kerin O’Keefe)