2017 Tenuta Sette Cieli ‘NOI4’ Bolgheri Toscana DOC

WSI94 VIN93 The 2017 Noi4 is a bold, exuberant wine that shows the natural intensity of the year in its racy, exotic personality. A rush of black fruit, espresso, licorice, leather and dark spice fleshes out in the glass. Today the tannins are a bit imposing. A year or two of bottle age and/or a healthy decant will help.
Estate Notes: Very intense ruby garnet color with evident violet reflections, clean and wide nose with notes of blueberry, pepper, cocoa and licorice. Very harmonious taste with good structure and persistent with a pleasant finish with notes of jam.

In 1994, the Ratti family purchased more than 170 acres of isolated land near the Tuscan village of Monteverdi Marittimo between Bolgheri and Castagneto Carducci overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The wild terrain used for horseback riding and wild boar hunting became the inspiration for the family’s dream of winemaking. Their belief that the site was ideal for pursuing their dream was reinforced when two prominent wineries in the region expressed an interest in leasing land on the estate. In 2000, the family began planting the first vineyards on the property. Today there are 17 acres of high-density vineyards planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Malbec.

The Ratti family chose the name “Tenuta Sette Cieli,” or “the Estate of Seven Skies,” for their winery because the property sits atop a hill at 1,300 feet with incredible views in every direction.

The 2017 vintage was met with very dry weather. Starting with a dry winter that lasted until the 9th of September, when there was a lot of concentrated rain. In June, shoots stopped growing due to the dryness. This caused worry that the vines would not ripen the grapes. Instead, the arrival of harvest saw obviously fewer grapes, but the leaf apparatus was intact. Grapes had higher concentration and the fruit had a perfect ripening of the skin.