Yantra - Perennial Gordon’s Favorite Every Day Super Tuscan

Sustainably Made. Woman-Led. Seriously Good.

Every now and then, a wine comes along that checks all the boxes and then draws a few new ones you didn’t even know you needed. The 2022 Tenuta Sette Cieli “Yantra” is that wine. It’s smart. It’s soulful. It’s organic. It’s made by a woman who doesn’t just walk the walk—she’s practically built the vineyard by hand. And it brings Bolgheri-level pedigree to your dinner table without the usual Bolgheri-level damage to your wallet.

Let’s start with the story, because this bottle has one. Yantra is made at Tenuta Sette Cieli—“The House of Seventh Heaven”—a wildly beautiful, windswept hilltop property on the Tuscan coast, where the vines perch 1,300 feet above sea level and overlook the Tyrrhenian Sea. Originally founded in the ‘90s by Erika Ratti, a visionary woman who saw potential in both land and horses, it’s now helmed by her son Ambrogio and his wife Sofia. But the real force behind the wine would be Elena Pozzolini.

Elena isn’t your average winemaker. She started out as an agronomist, cut her teeth in far-flung wine regions like Mendoza and Mornington Peninsula, then landed back in Tuscany where she took the helm at Sette Cieli in 2013. She’s not afraid to get her boots dirty—she lives in the vineyard, observes, adjusts, and lets nature guide her hand. Under her leadership, the estate became fully certified organic, and the wines have taken on a distinct clarity, energy, and finesse that speak to the place and the people behind them.

So what’s in the bottle? A Bordeaux blend, yes—Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot—but this is no overblown, overly oaked bruiser. Instead, Yantra is precise and plush, with soft tannins, juicy black fruit, and a freshness that lifts everything up. It’s aged in French oak for just six months to preserve its brightness and structure, and it finishes long and clean with a subtle mineral grip that whispers of the rocky soils and higher altitudes from which it came.

Most of the fruit comes from inside the Bolgheri DOC though the wine is labeled Toscana IGT. Why? Because estate philosophy and pricing integrity matter more than flashy DOC bragging rights. And lucky for us, that means we get Bolgheri elegance and structure in a bottle that’s somehow still under $25.

It’s the kind of red that makes Tuesday pasta taste like a restaurant meal, and turns Saturday pizza night into something almost romantic. It pairs effortlessly with just about anything—grilled meats, roast chicken, a sandwich if we’re being honest. It’s a wine for people who love wine, not labels.

So, if you’re in the market for a wine that’s sustainably farmed, female-led, expertly crafted, and absurdly delicious for the price—Yantra is the one to grab by the case.

91 Points, Wine Enthusiast Aromas of vanilla, black cherry, fresh coffee and raspberry coulis create an indulgently sweet nose. The palate brings more cherries and raspberries, but also tangier fruit notes of dried cranberry and blood orange. Despite all the serious, dense fruit, there is a marvelous freshness to this wine, making it delightfully approachable.

 

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