schiller-wine: Tasting the Wines of Tenuta di Biserno and Staying at Relais di Biserno, Bibbona, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025

Friday, August 8, 2025

Tasting the Wines of Tenuta di Biserno and Staying at Relais di Biserno, Bibbona, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025

From June 16 to July 3, 2025, Annette and I spent time in wine country Italy, by car.

For an overview of the whole trip. go here: Wine Country Italy - Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige - in the Summer of 2025

Second Stop: Bolgheri (Tuscany)

This was an organized group tour, led by wine journalist Giuseppe Lauria. We spent 4 nights in Bolgheri.

Day 3 in Bolgheri

On day 3, following breakfast, we started out with a tasting of the wines of Tenuta di Biserno at Relais di Biserno, which also was our base in Bolgheri.

Relais di Biserno

Breakfast

Tasting the Wines of Tenuta di Biserno at Relais di Biserno

Tenuta die Biserno (wine-searcher)

Tenuta di Biserno is a prestigious Italian wine estate located in Bibbona, on the northern edge of the Bolgheri DOC, in the coastal area of Alta Maremma, Tuscany. It produces a range of Super Tuscan wines under the Toscana IGT classification, with a strong focus on Bordeaux varietals.

The estate was established in the early 2000s by brothers Piero and Lodovico Antinori, together with their nephew - the son of their sister Ilaria - Niccolò Marzichi Lenzi. Today, the estate is managed by the latter, who also founded Le Crocine, a separate property located in Bolgheri.

Vineyards, terroir and winemaking

The vineyards of Tenuta di Biserno cover approximately 40 hectares, located at an elevation of around 90 meters above sea level. The soils are predominantly alluvial, rich in limestone, clay, and gravel. The site benefits from the cooling influence of the Tyrrhenian Sea, creating ideal conditions for Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot.

Grapes are hand-harvested, vinified in stainless steel, and aged in French oak barriques, followed by further maturation in bottle.

Biserno estate wines

There are two core estate wines:

Il Pino di Biserno: Ostensibly a second wine but regarded as a complete expression of the estate's capacity to achieve wines of finesse and structure. This blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot is aged for 12 to 15 months in barriques.
Biserno: The flagship label of the estate. Almost equal parts Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, with a smaller component of Petit Verdot. It is aged for approximately 15 months in French oak, followed by an additional six months in bottle before release.

Campo di Sasso wines

In addition, a range of "gateway" wines are made from around 60 hectares of vineyards in the Campo di Sasso vineyard:

Insoglio del Cinghiale: A youthful, vibrant, fruity blend dominated by Syrah, with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. Aged for four to six months in oak.
Occhione: A fresh, aromatic Vermentino-based white wine, with coastal minerality.
Rissoa: An elegant, fresh rosé from Cabernet Franc and Syrah.

ColleMezzano

In 2019, the estate acquired a further property north of Bibbona. From here Tenuta di Biserno produces the Cabernet-based ColleMezzano di Biserno. This is a distinctive expression of the same varietals used for the Biserno flagship, grown in a very different soil and microclimate.