Tenuta Arceno Chianti and Arcanum Super Tuscan wines from the Jackson family's top winemaker Pierre Seillan of Verite and Chateau Lassegue
“I would like a wine. The purpose of the wine is to get me drunk. A bad wine will get me as drunk as a good wine. I would like the good wine. And since the result is the same no matter which wine I drink, I’d like to pay the bad wine price.”
Steve Martin - Comedian, writer, actor, banjo player
Check out this little Gem from Tenuta Arcanum created by the late great Jess Jackson and his superstar winemaker Pierre Seillan. Pierre is the man behind the Verite wines and Chateau Lassegue. He knows what he is doing with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petite Verdot aka the famous five from Bordeaux.
Arcanum is an ancient estate that has just recently been brought back to life. The estate is found within the commune of Castelnuovo Berardenga, located in the province of Siena, Tuscany. It lies in the southeast corner of the Chianti Classico region and is bordered by the ancient, walled town of San Gusmé.
Jess Jackson, the mind-behind Kendall-Jackson, the winery that redefined California Chardonnay also redefined the marketing and distribution of a line of wines that is the case study for a collegiate assignment on the subject of “how to create a brand”. Jackson’s newest genre of wines coming from California is venture back to his philosophy behind his first wines. The Kendal-Jackson mantra was that one could inevitably create a better wine through blending grapes from the best vineyard sites throughout California. This concept is the norm rather the exception and not just from California but the world over. So the only brand that really featured blended wines exclusively was the one with the KJ moniker. Today the legacy of Jess lives on with projects he started around the world like this winery from Tuscany that today represents some of the best Bordeaux style blends coming from the region today and like all of the wines under the Jackson umbrella this wine is vineyard driven.
We have a library release of one of the top wines from this estate at 50% of the price of the current release! This wine is just starting to drink at it’s peak and for under $50 it is almost foolish for me to put the new releases on this offering but here are all the wines from this great Tuscan estate and all the wines made under Pierre Sellian’s portfolio from the Jackson family.
Vintage Super Tuscan at 50% off the Release price!!
2012 Arcanum Valadorna Toscana IGT, Tuscany, Italy
Price: $100.00 Your Price: $49.50
The nose bursts with ripe black cherry, violets and chocolate. On the palate, flavors are dominated by blueberry and cassis with soft., round, inviting tannins. The finish show sweet tobacco and earth tones reminiscent of cypress. As one expects from a Merlot based wine with a warm summer, the texture is opulent and juicy. The surprise provided by the cool picking season of the 2012 vintage, is that under this opulence is a freshness and structure that suggests a beautiful age ability. The blend is 70% Melrot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 12 months in 70% new French oak.
2018 Arcanum Valadorna Toscana IGT, Tuscany, Italy
Price: $105.00 Your Price: $94.50
Mostly Merlot with Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot has that classic Tuscan bouquet with dark plum cherry and a good amount of dried herbs, porcini mushrooms. A big and chewy wine with lots of everything and a long layered finish, all that nuance from the nose lingering through the long layered finish. Finish 45+ Excellent +
2017 Arcanum Valadorna Toscana IGT, Tuscany, Italy
Price: $75.00 Your Price: $67.50 Quantity in Stock: 7
This is a blend of 60% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, the winemaking is overseen by Pierre Seillan. One of the top wines made at the property and this wine has a very Bordeaux like appeal to the bouquet fresh plowed earth, black currant and plum like fruit on nose with notes of black licorice spice, toasty oak, graphite and black tar, very complex array of aromas here. A very rich and plush wine on the palate with an array of dark cherry and plum fruit, exotic spices and a firm hand of acidity holding things together, echoing the nuance from the nose through the finish, still has a good amount of dry tannins on the finish, this wine needs a bit of time but has all the right pieces and in proportion. Finish 50+ Most Excellent
2010 Arcanum Valadorna Toscana IGT, Tuscany, Italy
Price: $100.00 Sale Price: $80.00 Quantity in Stock: 2
Notes from the Winemaker: The 2010 Valadorna shows a dark core of ruby color with a very thin ruby meniscus. On the nose, concentrated and condensed smells of black cherry liquor, ripe black & red plum, and dried cranberry mark this wine as a ripe expression of Toscana IGT, while non-fruits of dried herbs, camphor, rose petal, and toasted baking spices add an aromatic lift. Each of these flavors is confirmed on the palate, with additional nuances of melted cocoa, toasted bread, and subtle quinine. Though driven with opulent fruit, the wine's texture is balanced by firm Tuscan acidity, and bitter tannins, which are in control of the overall picture. The finish is balanced and mouth watering, with wet clay minerality.
The wines of Tenuta Arceno and Arcanum
2023 Tenuta Di Arceno Chianti Classico
Price: $28.00 Your Price: $25.20
The Jackson family bought this estate 20 years ago and Pierre Sellin makes these wines and this wine is 15% Merlot, a more international style, 3 day cold soak, they do use some 3 year old French barrique, nothing new with the Sangiovese, very fruit driven, Castelnuovo Berardenga this wine has a bit of toasty oak spice to the red berry fruit cherry and wild strawberry with a touch of that fine herb, sage and underbrush. A big and fruity wine on the tongue with a good amount of fruit here while still delivering the earth and herbal component, licorice spice on the finish. Finish 40+ Neighbors are Felsina and Barolio. Excellent
2020 Tenuta Di Arceno Chianti Classico Riserva
Price: $37.50 Your Price: $33.75
This wine has a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the blend, a good hand of underbrush, sage, dried herbs, mushroom and red cherry and plum like fruit, fresh plowed earth, nice complexity here, more international style. This wine has lovely forward fruit and ripe round tannins, nice structure and depth of fruit, dark earth and fine herb notes through the finish. Finish 45+ Excellent +
2021 Tenuta Di Arceno Chianti Classico Riserva
Price: $37.50 Your Price: $33.75
The 2021 Chianti Classico Riserva expresses ripe, intense aromas of blackberry, lavender, and notes of forest floor. The palate is rich and full of flavors of juicy plums, black cherry and white pepper spice, underscored by fine tannins. The lingering finish expresses notes of dark chocolate complemented by citrus flavors of Sicilian blood red oranges. A wine of elegance and power, the 2021 Chianti Classico Riserva has great aging potential.
2021 Tenuta Di Arceno Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Strada al Sasso
Price: $75.00 Your Price: $67.50
2500 acres 90 hectares of vineyards and this wine is 100% Sangiovese, a single vineyard planted in 1998 and this wine really shows a good hand of that Tuscan Terroir sage, dried herbs and porcini mushrooms and red berry and plum fruit, dried meats. A very elegant wine with smooth round tannins on the tongue, silky juicy fruit cherry and plum with an array of that underbrush, herbs and earthy notes through the finish, some tannins at the end with wonderful freshness. Finish 45+ Most Excellent
2018 Tenuta Di Arceno Chianti Classico Riserva Gran Selezione Strada al Sasso
Price: $71.25 Your Price: $64.13 Quantity in Stock: 2
This is 100% Sangiovese and is a big wine with lots of jammy wild strawberry like fruit with hints of dried flowers and exotic spices. A big and chewy style lots of ripe rich fruit with a ton of spice and a savory finish, this wine has it all and more just needs a bit of time in the bottle, 3-5 years at least. Finish 40+ Most Excellent
2022 Arcanum Il Fauno Di Arcanum Toscana
Price: $37.50 Your Price: $33.75
A Bordeaux-style blend, il fauno di Arcanum embodies the diversity of the estate, and is sourced primarily from the Di Sotto, La Curva, Colombaio and San Giovanni blocks. Located in the lower southwest section of the estate, in a warmer, exposed subsection that ripens early, the soils possess a significant amount of clay, with good water retention, and produce wines that tend to be more voluptuous and lush.
2018 Tenuta di Arceno Arcanum Toscana
Price: $105.00 Your Price: $94.50
A blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon and this is the top wine on the property made from Select blocks. This wine has an amazing nose of dark exotic spices, cigar box spice, violet floral notes and a good hand of blackberry and blueberry fruit very well endowed with bittersweet coco and fresh plowed dark earth. A big and chewy wine on the tongue with layers of dark berry fruit, a firm hand of tannins and acidity but lots of everything else this wine is still a baby but has lovely structure and complexity leading in the a very long and layered finish. Finish 50+ Most Excellent +
A bit about the Tenuta Arceno:
The estate traces its roots to the pre-Roman Etruscan civilization, and the inspiration for the Arcanum label comes from an ancient statue located on the estate. il fauno, the mythological Roman god of nature, the countryside and the woods, watches over the estate and acts as its protector. The statue is represented both on the Arcanum label and in the name of its second wine, il Fauno di Arcanum. Valadorna is named not only for the vineyard from which the Merlot is sourced, but also for the house on the estate that bears its name and which is represented on the label.
The estate ranges in altitude from 1,000 to 1,500 feet and comprises ten different mesoclimates planted to 63 blocks. Each block within those different sub-climates has been planted to the varieties best suited to the unique soil profile, facing, slope, water uptake and heat potential of each site. There is a wide variance in the soils of the estate, with 13 different types being identified. The estate’s complexity ensures that, even within the confines of the region’s notorious vintage vagaries, certain blocks and varieties will shine every year.
The Jackson family purchased the Tenuta di Arceno estate in 1994, with its sprawling 2,500 acres, of which only 223 are planted to vine. Cabernet Franc has proven to be the variety best suited to the estate’s diverse soils and topography, and is the true signature of the estate, as it thrives in both warm and cool vintages.
Viticulturist and Winemaker Pierre Seillan first began working with Cabernet Franc more than four decades ago at his family’s estate in Armagnac. He later moved on to the Loire Valley, and then spent twenty years in Bordeaux before being lured to California in 1997. At Arcanum, Pierre works closely with his Italian team, believing his job is to respect tradition, but also to do his part to guide and enhance it. By doing so he remains true to the distinguished history of Italian viticulture.
Julia Jackson formed her first impression of Tuscany at age six, when her family purchased the Tenuta di Arceno estate. She grew up spending her summers at the estate and fell in love with its beauty and diversity. Julia brings her family’s passion to Arcanum, their dedication to its future and the commitment of the second generation of one of the world’s most significant wine families.
A Bordeaux-style blend, il fauno di Arcanum embodies the diversity of the estate, and is sourced primarily from the Di Sotto, La Curva, Colombaio and San Giovanni blocks. Located in the lower southwest section of the estate, in a warmer, exposed subsection that ripens early, the soils possess a significant amount of clay, with good water retention, and produce wines that tend to be more voluptuous and lush.
Chateau Lassegue Saint Emilion
2023 Chateau Lassegue De Cadrans St. Emilion
Price: $37.50 Your Price: $33.75
The 2023 Cadrans de Lassegue boasts a magnificent, intense, and brilliant ruby color. On the nose, aromas of black fruit like blackberry and black currant are immediately apparent, with a lovely freshness that evolves into subtle notes of violet and spice. The palate is vibrant, fruity, and balanced. With tannins already well-integrated, the long, mineral finish testifies to the quality of the clay-gravel-siliceous soils of their vineyards.
Blend: 74% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon
2021 Chateau Lassegue St. Emilion
Price: $75.00 Your Price: $67.50
(93 Points) Amazing aromatics - very fruit forward on the nose full of blackcurrant, black cherry and black pepper. The strawberry, raspberry and cranberry fruit absolutely sings in the glass, punchy with excellent clarity and soft plushness. Silky tannins, barely there except to give a mineral, wet stone texture which is to the fore. It’s profound in terms of depth of flavour - vertical and structured, but not heavy or exuberant with freshness and focus keeping it lifted and graceful. Well balanced, harmonious and full of classicism in the best sense. This is the 19th vintage for winemaker Pierre Seillan, whose son will now take the helm. No chaptalisation needed here. 3.64pH. Ageing in 70% new oak. Decanter
2020 Chateau Lassegue Saint Emilion
Price: $75.00 Your Price: $67.50 Quantity in Stock: 6
(95 Points) Wide, powdery, fine but firm tannins; a lovely density to this. Concentrated and intense, very straight and streamlined. Finessed and focused. Clearly powerful, the energy is apparent, but all the elements are kept quite tight and controlled, so you're not getting so much expansion or nuance necessarily. Still, well worked with clarity to the fruit and tannins. Wet stone, liquorice, toasted caramel all giving elements of wood but integrated and supportive. Feels like a sleeping giant, will be good in time, sleek and stylish. Decanter
2014 Chateau Lassegue Saint Emilion
Price: $45.00 Your Price: $40.50
(94 Points) Explosion of rich turmeric, crushed stone and subtle smoked saffron with touches of grilled almond, and a rich, powerful bramble berry fruit. Lovely chewy tannins also, shot through with pulses of electricity and minerality. You can enjoy this now because the aromatics are already giving so much, but it is sure to age brilliantly for another few decades. Decanter
Verite
2021 Verite La Joie Sonoma
Price: $600.00 Your Price: $540.00
(97 Points) The 2021 La Joie is composed of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, and the wine was matured for 16 months in 95% new French oak. It’s exceptionally pure and layered on the nose, its scents of blackcurrant and blueberry accented by tones of lavender and cardamom. The full-bodied palate is effortlessly seamless. It features Goldilocks ripeness, loads of powdery, suede-textured tannins and bursts of mouthwatering acidity. Though its flavors are youthfully coiled, it opens dramatically over several days, and it will be epically long lived in the cellar. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
2019 Verite Le Desir Sonoma
Price: $600.00 Your Price: $540.00
(100 Points) The 2019 Le Désir is just as stunning as the first time I tasted it from bottle. It's pure and layered, with alluring scents of Morello cherries, dried mushrooms, cigars, sage and aniseed wafting from the glass. The palate strikes a fine balance of concentrated fruit, loads of powdery tannins, and energetic bursts of fresh acidity. It has a deep core of concentrated, perfumed fruit with the first faint touches of umami character and a long finish driven by floral and iron tones. I can't get enough of this wine! Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
2018 Verite Le Desir Sonoma
Price: $600.00 Your Price: $540.00
(98 Points) The Cabernet Franc blend of the trio, the 2018 Le Desir is 82% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot, and 6% Malbec, and as with all these wines, it was brought up in new barrels. Ruby/purple and not completely opaque, it offers up a classic Cabernet Franc nose of mostly red fruits, spring flowers, damp earth, cedary spices, and truffle. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it shines for its incredible elegance and purity more than outright power, yet it still brings plenty of richness. With ultra-fine tannins, perfect balance, and one heck of a great finish, it's another great, great wine from this estate. Jeb Dunnuck
Vertical Pack (Verite Le Desir (2013/2014/2015) List $1687.50 Sale $1518.75
( 1 bottle of each vintage)
(99 Points) The 2013 Le Desir represents 2,500 cases. This is the softest of the three wines in 2013, and this blend of 61% Cabernet Franc, 23% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec emerges with more than half of the cuvee coming from Hillsides in Alexander Valley, 37% from Chalk Hill and the rest tiny dollops from Bennett Valley and Knights Valley. Opaque purple, like its siblings, the wine is showing incredible floral, blueberry and espresso notes, exotic Asian spices, velvety texture, a supple, multilayered mouthfeel and incredible finish, with incense and licorice. This is magnificent young wine, with a good 40-50 years of upside potential. Pierre Seillan is justifiably proud of what he has achieved, and his first vintage of Verite was only 1998, but they go from strength to strength. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
(98 Points) The 2014 Le Désir has an inky purple color and a sweet kiss of chocolate, black truffle, forest floor, black raspberry and black currants. Opulent, but again structured and super-dense and pure, this is another massively concentrated wine meant for the long haul (and for our grandchildren). Give it 4-6 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 35-40 years. Remarkably, Pierre Seillan told me that 2014, while a drought year, was not actually that hot in the micro-terroirs he was working, but in terms of quality, it turned out to be the most surprisingly positive vintage he’s ever witnessed. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
(94 Points) The 2015 Le Désir is a blend of 64% Cabernet Franc, 27% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Malbec. It's dusty and a touch closed at this stage, featuring reticent notions of red and black currants, cigars and mushroom. The palate is softening and juicy, with a deep core of fruit and a mineral-driven finish. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Vertical Pack Verite La Muse (2013/2014/2015) List $1687.50 Sale $1518.75
( 1 bottle of each vintage)
2013 Verite La Muse Sonoma
(100 Points) The 2013 La Muse, like all of the 2013s, comes about one-third from Alexander Valley vineyards, 40-plus percent from Chalk Hill, and the rest Knights Valley and Bennett Valley - all high-elevation hillside vineyards. A blend of 89% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec at 14.3% alcohol, the wine is amazingly like a great vintage of Petrus, with mulberry, black cherry, licorice, truffle and unctuous, thick, juicy fruit all present in this full-bodied masterpiece. The tannins are still present. The wine has purity and savory presence and is remarkable. The finish goes on for well past a minute. This wine would probably benefit from 5-8 years of bottle age and last 40-50 years. (RP) Wine Advocate, Review Date: 10/2015
2014 Verite La Muse Sonoma
(100 Points) The 2014 La Muse (2,800 cases) is a legendary effort. The wine offers an opaque purple color and a gorgeous nose of lead pencil shavings, blackberry, incense, Asian spice, cocoa, plum, and a touch of chocolate and barrique. On the palate, more cassis and blackberry come to the forefront. The wine is unctuous, with adequate acidity and a stunning energy underneath the massive fruit and body. (RP) Wine Advocate, Review Date: 10/2016
2015 Verite La Muse Sonoma
(97 Points) Composed of 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec, the 2015 La Muse sports a very deep garnet-purple color, leaping from the glass with exuberant crème de cassis, blueberry pie and licorice notes plus suggestions of Indian spices, dark chocolate, menthol, sautéed herbs and potpourri. Full-bodied, rich and seductive in the mouth, it delivers tons of black and blue fruit preserves flavors, accented by exotic spices, framed with velvety tannins and finishing on a persistent earthy/mineral note. 3,900 cases were made. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
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