“I can count maybe ten wines from the region that take on such a full-bodied and opulent approach.” – Wine Advocate

A dozen years into the vintage, and this double 96 point library release Super-Tuscan is PEAKING.

Arcanum means SECRET, and this deal takes that meaning to a whole other level…

What happens when a wine mogul completes their conquest of California? Well, over three decades ago, Barbara Banke and her late husband Jess Jackson (the Great Empress & Emperor of Sonoma!) set their sights on numerous properties outside the states, including this one in Tuscany. Which became one of their best bets on international expansion.

The attention to detail, global recognition, and massive accolades that followed serve as proof. And have catapulted Tenuta di Arceno into the upper echelons of the Italian wine world.

Of course, a grand vision is nothing without the proper team, and a plan.

Decanter points out “The winemaking team is headed by founding winemaker, Pierre Seillan who was pivotal in attaining perfect scores from Robert Parker 15 times for the group’s Vérité wines in Sonoma and is intent on repeating that success… the single vineyards show a great expression of terroir even with international grapes such as Merlot or Cabernet Franc. Tasting the wines demonstrated how the team’s experience and the age of the vines are improving the quality of the wines. ‘I am a servant of the soil. The pure expression of each unique site has, from the beginning, defined my micro-cru philosophy,’ said Seillan.”

They replanted vineyards, tending to each “micro-cru” with obsessive care. Updated the winery with top notch, modern winemaking equipment, and set to work with a singular goal to create an outstanding representation of their efforts.

Now compare this to Le Desir by Vérite. The $500+ Sonoma counterpart shares its winemaking and blend approach, whereby Cabernet Franc is in the lead. Yet you can GRAB A CASE of this at the same price you’d shell out for a SINGLE bottle of the former. WHA?!

Robb Report explains “Cabernet Franc is now the star of the show thanks to a critical mass of high-end bottlings in Tuscany. ‘It shows resilience against the heat that forms raisins, and in colder, wetter years, it effectively resists botrytis,’ says Lawrence Cronin, winemaker at Tenuta di Arceno. Pioneers of Cabernet Franc in central Tuscany, Tenuta di Arceno planted its first vines of the variety in 1998… Since its inception in 2002, Arcanum’s usual composition was somewhere between 50-70% of the variety alongside Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot… Cronin credits Tenuta di Arceno’s altitudes of 1,150 to almost 2,000 feet and its varied soils and microclimates for the ‘beautiful complexity’ he can achieve in Arcanum… it looks like Cabernet Franc has found a home in Tuscany and is here to stay.”

Beautiful complexity indeed, this is Cheval Blanc good! The first whiff brings you to your knees with intoxicating aromatics. Vibrantly violet to this date, with a deep, intense nose of ripe fruits, underbrush, flowers, tapenade, and white truffles, it hits the palate with a rich, deep, concentrated, yet reserved, incredibly elegant style. Remarkable structure, beautiful acidity, and a great finish. It’s a gorgeous, gorgeous wine at peak and bound to stay so for at least another decade. Wow.

Limited… as you can imagine and know what to do.

96+ Points – Wine Advocate “The 2013 Arcanum is a blend of 73% Cabernet Franc with smaller parts Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cabernet Franc element is obviously strongest, and you get steely notes of black fruit followed by wild sage and rosemary oil. This is a powerful and thickly layered red wine that pushes the boundaries of extract and intensity, especially for a Tuscan red wine. Off the top of my head, I can count maybe ten wines from the region that take on such a full-bodied and opulent approach. This wine should age forward for many years to come. Drink 2018-2033.”

96 Points – Decanter “The use of 70% new French oak for Arcanum is well integrated already in the young wines and deliciously melded in this 2013. More tight and elegant than powerful, this vintage produced a restrained Cabernet Franc (blended with 17% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon) full of earthy minerality, cedar wood aromas, balsamic notes in depth and a sweet finish of pipe tobacco. The cedar flavours flow with a velvety, almost silky texture and juicy acidity. The sternness of Castelnuovo Berardenga is here matched exceptionally with the fleshy character of this stylish Left-Bank blend. Drink 2021-2033.”