Reviews
-Decanter -
Technical Details
- Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot & Sangiovese
- Andrea Polidoro
- Italy
- Tuscany
- Sant'Antimo
- Estate Vineyards
- Certified Organic & Biodynamic Practices
- French oak barrels
- Separate lot indigenous yeast fermentation in stainless steel tanks with gentle pumpovers and rack and returns (délestage)
- 24 months
- 14.5%
Cupano Ombrone Sant'Antimo 2018
Certified Organic & Biodynamic Practices
Multi-Bottle Discount
$74.98 on 2+ bottles!
Cupano was founded in Montalcino in the 1990s by Ornella Tondini, a former journalist, and her partner Lionel Cousin, a French cinematographer turned winemaker. In 1994 they purchased Podere Centine, a property near Camigliano that had been abandoned for decades and never treated with modern chemicals, making it ideal for organic farming. Their vineyards sit on a stony hill above the Ombrone River, where mineral-rich soils and Mediterranean breezes create a distinctive terroir.
What makes Cupano extra-special is its blend of Tuscan terroir and Burgundian philosophy. Lionel, who trained through contacts in Burgundy, followed the example of figures like Henri Jayer, practicing manual vineyard work, native yeast fermentation, minimal intervention, and aging in barriques without filtration. After Lionel’s passing in 2021, Ornella and winemaker Andrea Polidoro have carried that ethos forward with great reverence for the path he’d forged. The result is Burgundy-level finesse and elegance that isn’t often found in the hills of Tuscany. In other words… don’t you dare sleep on these!
Named for the river below the estate’s vineyards, the Ombrone is Cupano’s more adventurous bottling, blending Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Sangiovese. The 2018 opens with warm, spiced aromas of cigar box, black cherry, and plum, with hints of licorice, cedar, and a touch of vanilla. Gorgeously velvety, juicy, and lifted with bright acidity… just an awe-striking red!