At the southernmost edge of the Chianti Classico zone lies Tenuta di Arceno, founded in 1994. This historic estate, in the commune of Castelnuovo Berardenga, has deep viticultural roots – wine has been made here since
the 16th century.
Today, the estate is defined by a bold vision: to honour tradition through precision. With matching emphasis on Chianti Classico DOCG and Toscana IGT, the team pursues single-variety expressions of Sangiovese as well as international varieties that celebrate terroir and innovation in equal measure.
Of the estate’s 1,000ha, 112 are planted to vine across 10 individual mesoclimates
and a patchwork of clay, galestro, sandstone and basalt soils, ranging from 350 to 600 metres in elevation. At Tenuta di Arceno, every one of the 100 vineyard blocks is considered an individual ‘micro-cru’ – meaning that different varieties, clones, rootstocks and viticultural practices are chosen to best suit the terroir of each.
The micro-crus are then tended, harvested and vinified separately, creating the foundation for the estate’s signature diversity – and the complexity that results
when the wines are finally blended.
Tenuta di Arceno
Singular expressions of Tuscan craftsmanship
A landscape built for complexity
In partnership with Tenuta di Arceno
Discover more: tenutadiarceno.com
Where centuries of heritage meet ‘micro-cru’ mastery
Tenuta di Arceno's resident winemaker Lawrence Cronin
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Today, the estate is defined by a bold vision: to honour tradition through precision
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Cronin is joined in the estate’s meticulous work by vigneron Pierre Seillan, who has been at Tenuta di Arceno since its founding, and vineyard manager Michele Pezzicoli. Together, they champion a site-specific winemaking philosophy that harnesses not just the character of each vineyard, but the unique voice of each individual micro-cru.
‘We can amplify the expression of this Tuscan soil,’ says Cronin. Underlying the estate’s painstaking work, it is this deeply rooted respect for place that defines its finest wines, he explains: ‘In the end, the soil and the land are the tradition – out of the hands of humans.’
Guided by experience, grounded in the soil
Lawrence Cronin, Tenuta di Arceno winemaker
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Different varieties, clones, rootstocks and viticultural practices are chosen to suit the terroir of each of the estate’s 63 micro-crus
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Winemaker Lawrence Cronin explains this demanding approach: ‘It’s all about complexity and balance – finding the harmony of the two. When you have many different expressions in the cellar, you can create magical blends.’ Thus Tenuta di Arceno ensures that the quality and diversity that begins in the vineyard culminates
in the glass.
Strada al Sasso
Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG
100% Sangiovese
The Strada al Sasso vineyard, which offers spectacular views of the nearby town of
San Gusme, is the source to the estate’s original Gran Selezione, launched in 2007.
This varietal Sangiovese is the most intense, concentrated and structured wine at Tenuta
di Arceno. ‘It now has an incredible depth and character,’ says Cronin, ‘showcasing a racy acidity and beautiful, elegant minerality.’
Valadorna
Toscana IGT
100% Merlot
Drawn from the estate’s cooler, clay-rich
sites – naturally irrigated by the vineyard stream – the fruit for Valadorna is often the last on the estate to be harvested, and so benefits from extra flavour and tannin ripening. Nutmeg spice, ripe black cherry, warm vanilla and a balsamic finish make for a plush, savoury wine with unmistakable identity.
Signature wines of Tenuta di Arceno
Arcanum
Toscana IGT
100% Cabernet Franc
The Strada al Sasso vineyard, which offers spectacular views of the nearby town of San Gusme, is the source to the estate’s original Gran Selezione, launched in 2007. This varietal Sangiovese is the most intense, concentrated and structured wine at Tenuta di Arceno. ‘It now has an incredible depth and character,’ says Cronin, ‘showcasing a racy acidity and beautiful, elegant minerality.’
Perhaps the best way to experience Tenuta di Arceno is by visiting this beautiful region just 25km from Siena. To visit in person is to understand, as Cronin says: ‘Come to Arceno, discover in your glass what we have discovered in this beautiful Tuscan estate.’
Tenuta di Arceno invites you to experience the wines in person
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When you have many different expressions in the cellar, you can create magical blends
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– Lawrence Cronin, Tenuta di Arceno
