Antinori Tignanello 2021
The Antinori Tignanello 2021 marks a truly historic milestone, celebrating the 50th anniversary of this legendary Super Tuscan estate. First created by the historic Antinori family in 1971, it permanently reshaped Italian viticulture by becoming the first contemporary red wine to be blended with non-traditional French varieties and aged in small oak barrels. Crafted from a rigorous selection of grapes grown on the sun-baked, limestone-rich soils of the single Tignanello Vineyard in the heart of Chianti Classico, this highly celebrated 2021 vintage is widely regarded by critics as a modern benchmark for the estate, benefiting from an idyllic, slow-paced growing season that delivered flawless fruit concentration. This masterfully balanced blend is composed of 79% Sangiovese, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 8% Cabernet Franc. In the cellar, the winemaking team coaxes unparalleled suppleness from the fruit through separate vinification in conical vats, followed by 17 months of careful maturation in a combination of French and Hungarian oak barrels. This highly precise oak treatment gives the wine its magnificent structural frame, perfectly smoothing out the firm tannins while allowing the vibrant, native acidity of the Sangiovese to remain the refreshing, driving force on the palate. On the pour, this premium Tuscany red reveals a mesmerising aromatic profile filled with fresh redcurrants, dark cherries, blood orange, and sweet pipe tobacco, accented by subtle hints of liquorice and crushed white pepper. For the everyday drinker, it offers a luxurious, velvety mouthfeel that avoids any heavy or jammy notes, finishing with an incredibly long, savoury persistence. While it possesses the depth to cellar and evolve gracefully for decades, its impeccable harmony makes it wonderfully approachable today, serving as the ultimate match for a special occasion dinner alongside roasted lamb, fine beef, or mature cheeses.
