2021 Tenuta Tignanello Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva

A beautiful wine from one of Italy's oldest and most famous wine producers Marchese Antinori. This 'noble' Chianti Classico Riserva comes from the famous Tenuta Tignanello. The Chianti Classico Riserva Marchese Antinori is Sangiovese enriched with hints of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Renzo Cotarella and the extensive technical team at Marchesi Antinori are working hard to perfect their tannin management, and the beautiful results are clearly visible in this series of new releases of the classic vintage

The 2018 growing season in Chianti Classico began with normal winter weather, both in terms of temperature and rainfall. Despite these climatic conditions, the vines started budding a week earlier than the seasonal average in this area. Spring was marked by frequent rain showers and lower than average temperatures, especially in May, while June and July were hot and dry, not interrupted by extreme heat. Scattered rainfall in August and a dry, windy period in September and October allowed the grapes to develop to perfect ripeness, guaranteeing excellent sugar levels and polyphenolic ripeness. Harvesting began in mid-September with Sangiovese and concluded in the first half of October with Cabernet.

Upon arrival at the cellar, the bunches were destemmed and gently crushed: the must was transferred to stainless steel vats where alcoholic fermentation took place for about 1 week. Maceration on the skins was managed with gentle pump-overs and délestage (rack and return) for an intense extraction while preserving elegant and supple tannins. Malolactic fermentation, which occurred spontaneously, was completed towards the end of the year. The wine was then blended and went to French and Hungarian oak barriques for about a year. Marchese Antinori Riserva was bottled and then matured in bottle for a further twelve months before being released.

The Tignanello estate is located in the heart of the Chianti Classico production zone, nestled between the valleys of the Greve and Pesa rivers, and extends over almost 800 hectares (319 acres), of which approximately 130 (415 acres) are planted with vines. The vineyards are mainly composed of the indigenous Sangiovese grape, together with non-traditional varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The Marchese Antinori is a historic wine from the Antinori cellars, produced from grapes grown on the Tignanello estate since 2011. It is a wine that presents itself as the full expression of the quality and elegance of the Sangiovese from this part of Tuscany.

The Tenuta Tignanello Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva is ruby ​​red in color. On the nose intense notes of morello cherries, violets and lavender and light sensations of iron typical of Sangiovese and spicy notes of tobacco and leather; the bouquet is completed by delicate hints of vanilla and cocoa powder. The taste is mouth-filling, generous and lively with excellent compact tannins that give it a long persistent aftertaste. Exceptional aftertaste characterized by red fruit and liquorice. Worthy of Tignanello but less than half the price so an absolute must