Cupano Ombrone Sant'Antimo Tuscany 2020

Add 2+ bottles to your cart and instantly receive 50% savings!

Though relatively young, the quaint, breathtaking estate of Cupano in southwest Montalcino is a rapidly rising star of Tuscan winemaking. Their Ombrone Super Tuscan is one of the winery’s non-Brunello or Rosso wines, reflecting the adventurous side of the property with great finesse. With 97 points and a MAJOR price drop on 2+ bottles (both regular and magnum!) – you absolutely need this Italian gem on your table.

Cupano was founded in Montalcino in the 1990s by Ornella Tondini, a former journalist, and her partner Lionel Cousin, a French cinematographer who had worked in film before turning to wine. The couple purchased Podere Centine in 1994, a 35-hectare property near Camigliano that had been abandoned for more than four decades. Because the land had never been treated with modern chemicals, it was immediately suitable for organic farming. They began planting vineyards in 1997 – 3.4 hectares primarily to Sangiovese for Brunello di Montalcino, with some Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot – on a stony hill above the Ombrone River, whose mineral-rich soils and breezes from the nearby Mediterranean come together to create a remarkably distinctive terroir. In 2013, they planted 3 more hectares of Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.

One of the winery’s most unusual aspects is its blend of Tuscan terroir and Burgundian philosophy. Lionel was born in Cognac and trained in wine through contacts in Burgundy, modeling his estate on the teachings of influential Burgundian figures like Henri Jayer. He emphasized manual vineyard work, native yeast fermentation, minimal intervention, and aging in Burgundian barriques without filtration. After Lionel’s death in 2021, the estate continued under Ornella with winemaker Andrea Polidoro maintaining the original ethos of elegant and age-worthy wines that express this one-of-a-kind site in Montalcino.

The Ombrone 2020 is composed of 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc, and 20% Sangiovese and takes its name from the Ombrone River that runs below the vineyard hill, shaping the mineral soils and drainage of the site. The wine is a complementary counterpart to the estate’s Brunello and Rosso wines, reflecting the founders’ more cosmopolitan background and their belief that the unique terroir can express both native and international varieties with grace. It leads with black cherry and cassis, underscored with tremendously rich, toasty accents of dark chocolate, roasted herbs, black licorice, and olive tapenade. The palate is dense but energetic, with firm tannins and a marathon of a finish. We are blown away by this Super Tuscan, and thrilled to have it for a killer price when you order 2+ regular bottles! 

PAIRING IDEAS: Roast up some skin-on chicken thighs with thyme, good olive oil, and lemon, paired with lemony garlic potato wedges – the crispy skin and herbal influence are going to SING alongside the wine’s savory side.