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Antinori Tignanello :
[ahn-tee-no-(l)ree tee-nyah-nehl-lo]
This is the wine that rocked the world! Tenuta San Guido's Sassicaia may have ignited the revolution, but Piero Antinori's Tignanello spread the word. Antinori's goal was not to recreate a Bordeaux style claret, but to show the versatility and finesse that the noble Sangiovese can deliver; the result was the second official Super-Tuscan, which featured this native varietal in the Cabernet-aided blend. It is the first Sangiovese to be aged in small oak barrels and the first modern red wine to include a non-traditional varietal. Tignanello was also among the first wines in Chianti to be made without any white grapes.
Influenced by the lead of Piero's uncle (the great Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta) and guided by Giacomo Tachis, Tignanello made its grand entrance to the international stage in 1971 and has only improved since. A blend of 80% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc, this Super-Tuscan is made only in good vintages from the main vineyard of the Tignanello estate. The harvest here is particularly late, and the grapes are processed gently to avoid damage. French oak is used for malolactic fermentation and for a 14-month aging period, followed by another full year of aging in the bottle before release.
Full and fruit-forward, Tignanello is a very complex wine. With great structure, rich mouthfeel, and a long finish, it certainly merited the Tre Bicchieri awards it has won for five different vintages. Of particular note is the fact that Piero Antinori honored the founding estate’s 600th anniversary in 1985 with the release of a limited-selection bottling named Secentenario, a blend comprising the highest quality lots from the best vintages in Tignanello’s career (some, in fact, regard it as a Super-Tignanello, as it reflects the normale bottling’s varietal breakdown).
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Wine: Super-Tuscan
Producer: Antinori
Varietal(s): Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc
Region: Toscana
Province: Firenze
Commune: Chianti Classico
Vineyard(s): Tignanello
Altitude: 350-450 meters
Exposure: Southwest
Classification: Toscana IGT
First Year: 1971
Bottle Production: 20-30,000 cases
More Landmark Wines:
Antinori Solaia
Rampolla Sammarco
Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia
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