The entry-level 2008 Le Cupole is beautiful and expressive in its dark red fruit. The 2008 is a mid-weight Cupole, with just a touch less exuberance than the superb 2007, but with just as much personality and sheer character. Silky tannins frame the mineral-laced fruit through to the finish, where the wine’s inner sweetness lingers on the close. The Cupole is one of the finest relative values in Tuscan wine, and is a one of my go to choices on restaurant wine lists. This is another fabulous effort from Andrea Franchetti. In 2008 Le Cupole is approximately 35% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2016. Andrea Franchetti is one of Italy’s most fascinating wine personalities. Year after year Franchetti puts compelling juice in the bottle. His wines from Trinoro, in one of the most remote corners of Tuscany, remain some of my favorite reds on the planet. Franchetti describes 2008 as ‘tropical’ in terms of the amount of rain that fell in his vineyards. This was a very late harvest, even by Franchetti’s typically relaxed standards, as the vines struggled to recover from the stress they experienced in 2007. Importer: T. Edward Wines, Ltd., New York, NY; tel. (212) 233-1504