Tenuta Sette Ponti Orma 2014

Drink now through to 2030. Decant 2 hours before serving.

Named “Orma” after the Italian word for “footprint”, this graceful wine is the rich reward of former fashion moghul Antonio Moretti’s search for prime wine-growing areas in coastal Bolgheri in the province of Livorno. The land here has long held a reputation for producing stunning red wines thanks to a favourable combination of deep pebbly soils, cooling Mediterranean breezes and hot summers ideal for ripening grapes.

Representing Antonio Moretti’s bold new venture in this relatively young wine region, Orma is a Bordeaux-style blend is a careful composition of 50% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. After careful hand-harvesting and selection, the grapes are macerated and fermented for a period of 18 days to gently extract optimum tannins and flavours. The wine is then left to rest in French oak barrels for 12 months and spends a further 12 months in the bottle before it is deemed ready for release.

On the nose Orma exudes classic hints of intense dark berries, sweet spices and tobacco which complement the deep blackberry, cassis and bitter licorice flavours on the palate. Like many Bordeaux-style blends from the region, the firm structure of the wine and vibrant acidity promises great ageability with a cellaring potential of at least a decade. If you do decide to enjoy it now, consider serving it alongside hard cheeses, roasted meat or even game dishes to accentuate the ripe fruit character and soften the tannins.