2023 Antinori Tignanello

The 2023 Antinori Tignanello is one of the most influential wines in modern Italian wine history. This famous Super Tuscan is made exclusively from grapes from the eponymous vineyard on the Tignanello estate in Chianti Classico. The 2023 vintage combines ripe red fruit, refined floral notes, silky tannins, and a long, savory finish. A classic Tignanello with precision, depth, and excellent aging potential.

Marchesi Antinori

The Antinori family has been making wine since 1385 and is one of Italy's most influential wine families. The 26th generation is now at the helm. Throughout the centuries, Antinori has combined respect for tradition with a willingness to adopt new techniques and grape varieties when they improved quality.

Tignanello grew into the most famous example of that progressive vision. The wine played an important role in the emergence of the category that would later become known as Super Tuscan.

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The historical significance of Tignanello

Tignanello is produced exclusively from grapes from the eponymous vineyard of approximately 77 hectares. The plot is situated at an altitude of 350 to 400 meters, has a south-westerly exposure, and consists of calcareous soils.

The wine was the first modern Sangiovese from the region to mature in small oak barrels. Moreover, Tignanello was one of the first red wines from Chianti Classico to use Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc and to definitively dispense with white grape varieties.

The first separate bottling from the vineyard appeared in 1970. From 1971, the wine was released as a Tuscan table wine under the name Tignanello. Since 1982, the current basic blend of primarily Sangiovese, supplemented with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, has been used. The wine is produced only in suitable vintages.

The 2023 volume

The growing season began with a cold and dry winter. Cool and rainy conditions followed from late April to mid-June. The summer was warm and dry, but without extreme heat peaks. As a result, the grapes were able to ripen evenly and the balance between leaf growth and yield was maintained.

Rainfall in August and normal conditions in September and October helped the grapes reach optimal ripeness. The harvest began around September 20 with Sangiovese and was completed in the first half of October with the Cabernet varieties.

Blending and vinification

The 2023 Tignanello consists primarily of Sangiovese, supplemented with smaller percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.

After a rigorous selection, the various batches fermented separately in conical tanks. During skin maceration, the emphasis was on preserving aromas, controlled color extraction, and obtaining smooth, elegant tannins. The moment of racking was determined for each batch based on daily tastings.

After fermentation, the wine was transferred to small oak barrels for malolactic fermentation. Aging lasted a total of thirteen months in primarily new French oak barrels, supplemented by a small proportion of Hungarian oak. The batches initially matured separately, were then blended, and subsequently completed the wood aging together. A further twelve months of bottle aging followed prior to release.

Scent, taste and character

The 2023 Tignanello has an intense ruby red color. The aroma reveals ripe cherries, pomegranate, and orange. Floral nuances of hibiscus and violets are followed by cocoa, pencil shavings, white pepper, cranberry, and refined sweet spices.

On the palate, the wine starts precise and clean. Juicy red fruit fills the mid-palate, while the tannins are silky, supple, and carefully integrated. Sangiovese provides freshness, tension, and savoriness, while Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc contribute extra structure, depth, and aromatic complexity.

The finish is long and refined, with distinct notes of blood orange, roasted hazelnut, spices, and a subtle mineral freshness.

One of the original Super Tuscans

Tignanello is among the wines that have permanently changed Tuscan winemaking. By deliberately working outside the then-current rules of Chianti Classico, Antinori gained the freedom to combine Sangiovese with Cabernet and age the wine in small oak barrels.

The result is not an international wine that hides its Tuscan origins, but rather a recognizable Sangiovese with extra structure and depth. The combination of historical significance, consistent quality, and excellent aging potential makes Tignanello beloved worldwide by wine lovers and collectors.