Tenuta Sette Ponti, Podere Orma Toscana, 2020
Tenuta Sette Ponti, Podere Orma Toscana, 2020
- 75cl
- 15%
- Red Still
- Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
- Organic
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Optimal drinking window: 2026 - 2038
Is it in Bolgheri that Antonio Moretti Cuseri has left his new footprint, or Orma in Italian?
This is no simple word-play, but rather heralds a wine estate which he acquired in Bolgheri, in the province of Livorno, after searching for a wine-growing area of absolute quality.
Bolgheri has long boasted an impressive reputation in the world of great wines, earning its prestige as one of the most impressive and creative production areas in the entire world of wines as a result of a number of forward-thinking producers and of the area’s experimentation with innovative blends of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. An unusual alchemy fuses together climate, soils, culture, and tradition to make Bolgheri an exceptional terroir for the production of powerful yet refined wines of unsurpassed quality.
Right now, the 2020 Podere Orma is tightly wound at the core — the tannins are polished but the wine still needs a year or two to fully integrate. By 2027 to 2028, expect the primary cassis and redcurrant fruit to soften and begin yielding to more savoury, tobacco-leaf complexity. The window of peak drinking is likely to run from around 2028 to 2035, when the structure and aromatics should be in perfect conversation. Hold it much beyond 2038 and you may find the freshness that makes it so alive beginning to fade. Drink it while it still has that coastal energy.
What the critics say:
"Tobacco, sage and rosemary come through nicely, together with redcurrants and cassis. Full-bodied, yet polished, with a solid and dense center-palate. Tight at the end now, but will open nicely. Needs two or three years to develop. 50% merlot, 30% cabernet sauvignon and 20% cabernet franc. Try after 2025."
"Fragrant and expressive on the nose, the floral / dried herbal scents mingle on the nose putting you squarely in Tuscany. Lifted and beautiful, a sensational vibrant, lively, pure and pristine wine. So carefully delivered in terms of texture with a joyous quality to the fruit flavours and mineral aspects - a cleanness and precision. Detailed and finessed. Stunning with fleshy but well-integrated tannins and a kick all the way through to a long fresh finish. Complexity and structure, supremely balanced. A top pick and great value! Ageing 18 months in French oak barriques and tonneaux then in bottle for one year before being released."
Tasting Notes
AppearanceDeep ruby-garnet, dense and opaque at the centre with a clean, bright rim.
NoseFragrant and immediately expressive — ripe redcurrant and cassis lifted by dried sage, rosemary, and a floral top note that places you firmly on the Tuscan coast. There is a cedar-edged quality underneath, along with a faint tobacco leaf that adds intrigue without weight.
PalateFull-bodied but remarkably precise, with a dense, well-structured centre-palate and fleshy tannins that feel polished rather than punishing. The Merlot brings generosity, the Cabernet Sauvignon gives it backbone, and the Franc adds a herbaceous lift that keeps everything lively. There is a mineral, almost chalky quality to the texture that cuts through the ripeness with real elegance.
FinishLong, fresh, and savoury, with the herbal and mineral threads persisting well after the fruit has faded.
Overall impressionA wine of genuine authority — structured enough to reward patience but expressive enough to drink with real pleasure now.
Food Pairings
Along the Bolgheri coast, a wine like this would naturally find its way to the table alongside bistecca alla Fiorentina — the thick-cut T-bone grilled over wood and served simply with olive oil and sea salt. Slow-braised wild boar with black olives and polenta is another natural match, as is a rich Tuscan ribollita transformed into a dinner-party centrepiece with the addition of short ribs. Aged Pecorino Toscano or a plate of cured Cinta Senese salumi would work beautifully as a simpler pairing. The wine has enough structure to cut through fat and enough fruit to complement the robust, unfussy character of Tuscan cooking.
We think this wine would go well with
Serve at 17 to 18 degrees Celsius — any warmer and the alcohol will crowd out the precision. This wine will benefit from decanting: give it at least an hour in 2026, ideally two. A large-bowled Bordeaux glass is the right choice, giving the herbal and floral aromatics room to open up before the fruit arrives.
The Podere Orma vineyards sit in the heart of Bolgheri, close to the Tyrrhenian coast in the province of Livorno. The soils are a mix of clay, silt, and sandy loam with good drainage, and the maritime influence from the sea moderates temperatures, extending the growing season and preserving freshness. That combination of warmth, breeze, and well-drained earth is what gives Bolgheri reds their distinctive balance of ripeness and structure — power without heaviness.
Bolgheri DOC sits on the Tuscan coast south of Livorno, a relatively young appellation that rose to fame on the back of Super Tuscans like Sassicaia and Ornellaia. The DOC permits blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and Sangiovese, giving producers real freedom to work with what suits their land. It is one of Italy's most expensive and sought-after appellations, often compared to Bordeaux in ambition and price, though the Mediterranean warmth and coastal breezes give the wines a distinctly Tuscan personality.
The 2020 growing season in Tuscany threw everything it had at the vines, then delivered one of those dramatic turnarounds that makes wine people believe in providence. A cold, wet spring delayed budbreak and kept everyone on edge about flowering, whilst summer brought punishing heat that had producers reaching for shade nets and irrigation systems. Just when the vintage looked destined for mediocrity, September arrived with cooling temperatures and crucial rainfall that allowed the grapes to recover their composure and ripen properly rather than simply desiccate on the vine.
What emerged from the cellars shows Tuscany's resilience in fine form. The Sangiovese displays more immediate charm than we often see from the variety, with bright cherry fruit that doesn't sacrifice the underlying structure that makes Chianti and Brunello age so gracefully. Super Tuscans from the coastal areas fared particularly well, where Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot thrived in the maritime influence and produced wines with both power and freshness. Most 2020s are drinking beautifully now, offering accessibility without compromising their long-term prospects, and we suspect the best will reward cellaring for another decade or more.
FAQs
What does Podere Orma taste like?
Ripe redcurrant and cassis on the nose, lifted by dried sage, rosemary, and a floral quality that is distinctly Tuscan. On the palate it is full-bodied and dense with polished tannins, a mineral texture, and a long, fresh, savoury finish. Think Bolgheri at its most precise.
When is the best time to drink the 2020 vintage?
It is approachable now with a good two-hour decant, but the wine is still a little tight at its core. We would aim for 2027 onwards for the full picture, and drink it with confidence until around 2035.
Is Podere Orma worth cellaring?
Yes, genuinely. With a 97-point score from James Suckling and 96 from Decanter, this is one of Bolgheri's most acclaimed wines from a strong vintage. It has the structure and balance to reward five to ten years in the cellar, and the complexity to justify the wait.
What food should I serve with this wine?
It was made for the Tuscan table — bistecca alla Fiorentina is the obvious answer, but slow-braised wild boar, aged Pecorino, or a richly sauced short rib will all work superbly. The wine has enough structure to handle fatty, robust dishes without missing a beat.
How should I serve Podere Orma?
At 17 to 18 degrees Celsius in a large Bordeaux glass. Decant for at least an hour — two hours if you are opening it in the next year or two. It needs air to show its best.
How does Podere Orma compare to other Bolgheri wines?
It sits comfortably among the top names in the appellation — ambitious in scale, Bordeaux-inspired in structure, but with a distinctly Tuscan personality from the coastal herbs and mineral freshness. At its price point it represents serious value against better-known neighbours.
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