IN THE CLUB | Alberto Moretti Cuseri, Orma
The various outposts of 67 Pall Mall see a constant stream of winemakers coming through our doors. Among the visitors this month was a Tuscan producer whose ambition has seen it making waves among the region's fine wine hierarchy
As the Club’s Global Head of Purchasing for Wines and Spirits, Paul Richards is constantly on the hunt for new names that may add further sheen to the 67 lists. When he’s not got his nose in a glass at the various tastings that pepper the London wine-industry calendar, he’ll be attending trade shows (such as this month’s Wine Paris, which played host to a sizeable delegation from 67), visiting wine regions to get the lowdown on the ground – or tasting with visiting winemakers at the London Club.
This month, that roll call included Alberto Moretti Cuseri of the increasingly acclaimed Bolgheri estate Orma. The Moretti name will be well known to Tuscan wine lovers through parent estate Tenuta Sette Ponti, whose work with Bordeaux varieties (initiated by Alberto’s father Antonio Moretti and overseen by the renowned consultant Carlo Ferrini) has taken it to Tuscany’s top rank.
Since 2004, that direction has been furthered by the purchase of a 7.5ha plot in Bolgheri, set directly between the vineyards of Ornellaia and Sassicaia, where Alberto – this time with the help of the equally famed consultant Daniel Schuster (also responsible for Ornellaia’s acclaimed Massetto cuvée) – has overseen the estate’s Orma Bordeaux blend. It’s a wine that has gained a significant following in recent years, and with it now being imported by Berry Bros & Rudd, Paul took the chance to meet with Alberto when he was visiting his importer across the road from the Club in London’s St James’s.
‘I was really impressed by the 2015, which we tasted from magnum,’ says Paul, ‘So I’ll be looking into getting hold of some for the London Club. We’re aiming to shine a spotlight on the 2015 vintage across a range of regions as we celebrate our 10th anniversary later in the year, so this will be a nice addition.’
The 2022 was also impressive, Paul said – if young – but shows the team’s skill in handling a hot vintage. ‘The wine’s quite polished and contemporary in style – somewhere between the classicism of Sassicaia and the modernity of Ornellaia,’ he added. ‘They obviously have ambitions to be taken seriously at that level – and from what I’ve seen, they’ve got the tools in place to do so…’
Alberto Moretti Cuseri will be hosting a Members’ dinner showcasing five vintages of Orma, including the 2015, 2022 and the inaugural 2005 bottling, plus its Cabernet Franc cuvée Aola di Orma, over a four-course Italian-themed menu on Tuesday 11th March – see here for details
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