Tenuta Sette Cieli “Yantra” 2019

“dusty, dry red earth and leather”

Jackson’s Notes: I knew I wanted to pull something Italian for this release, but it was hard to find the right one until this surprise came along. I have a soft spot for central Italian wines, having lived there for a year back in college, but I generally don’t prefer when they’re made from French grapes. Why have big Cabernet when Sangiovese is so good. That being said, I’m happy to be proven wrong.

Yantra is a wine made by Tenuta Sette Cieli. Sette Cieli means Seven Heavens, or skies, in reference to the hills around the estate. Winemaker and chief enologist Elena Pozzolini helms the cellar, creating wines that reflect the local setting near Bolgheri. The Italians call this area Toscana Maritimma, literally “coastal Tuscany,” meaning there’s a strong influence from the Mediterranean sea on these vineyards. This has influenced the plantings here over the years. When Cabernet and Merlot were introduced, in some cases over two hundred years ago, they took nicely to the climate. After all, those grapes are from the French coast!

It wasn’t until the 1970s and 80s that “international varieties” really started to take off. Wines from Bolgheri, right down the road from Tenuta Sette Cieli, splashed onto the international scene and put Tuscany on the map in a new way. Wines like Sassicaia and Ornellaia were amazing examples of Italian wines made from French grapes. They proved that Tuscany was a beautiful garden that could grow a great version of pretty much anything. 

Since then, many amazing wineries have set up shop in Tuscany. Sette Cieli is a relatively recent addition to the scene, especially when you consider wineries like Antinori can trace their lineage back more than 1000 years in the region. But good terroir is good terroir, and this little patch of land by the coast is making some compelling wines indeed. 

This Yantra is a blend of 60% Cabernet and 40% Merlot. I love Italian Merlot especially. It comes out more herbal and dusty than French Merlot, and like many other Tuscan wines just makes you think about food when you smell and taste it.

This jumps from the glass with a strong dried herbal note before you even get to the fruit. Rosemary, sage, and fennel make way for a core of red plum, currant, and tangy blueberry. Dusty, dry red earth and leather round out the finish, and a hint of sea spray lingers.

From the winery: Yantra (yawn-tra) is Sanskrit for “instrument” or “machine.” A Yantra is a mandala — a map, chart or geometric pattern which is often used to reference geometrical drawings used in the Indian mystical tradition.