Winemaker Notes
Arcanum is the pinnacle of the estate’s offerings. A pure Cabernet Franc and true
signature of the estate, this remarkable wine is built to age yet is drinkable young, offering aromas of
violets, roses and raspberries, with long and delicate spice notes; it is a wine that is seductive yet
subtle. Arcanum is sourced from 12 different blocks of Cabernet Franc that each year, thanks to their superb
exposure and sandy clay soils, produce the finest expression of the variety for the leading wine of the
estate.
The 2017 vintage was powerful with hot summer days and abundant sunshine, ripening the
Cabernet Franc rapidly. But as summer transitioned to fall, Tuscany had moderate rainfall and cool evenings,
allowing the grapes ample time on the vine. This vintage was exceptionally ripe with lower yields that
produced wines with concentrated and notably intense flavours.
A Cabernet Franc that embodies a sense-of-place, distinctive of the diverse micro-crus
of each vineyard block hand-selected for this vintage. Aromas of sweet oregano, mint and tart cherries are
familiar to the nose on this Tuscan single-varietal wine. The palate is soft and round, framed by subtle
acid. A core of fresh blueberries, dark chocolate and salted caramel are balanced by a long, elegant finish
with hints of licorice, cedar and tobacco. A powerful, expressive Cabernet Franc to be enjoyed for decades.
95 Points, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This wine is now a 100% expression of Cabernet Franc. The 2017 Arcanum is the
top-shelf red from Tenuta di Arceno. It is a rich, almost meaty wine, with dark fruit, savory tobacco,
smoked bacon and sweet earth. What distinguishes this hot-vintage wine, however, are the rosemary and dried
lavender that give this wine an authentically Tuscan personality. This is really quite nice.