2022 Antinori 'Marchese Antinori' Chianti Classico Riserva

Aromas of ripe red cherry, dried cranberry, and violet integrate with sophisticated notes of tobacco leaf and cracked black pepper. The palate is medium-bodied and exceptionally refined, featuring a vibrant core of red fruit supported by ultra-fine, gravelly tannins. A bright, Sangiovese-driven acidity ensures the wine remains energetic, leading into a long finish marked by hints of cocoa and crushed stone.

The winemaking team at Tenuta Tignanello utilizes a blend that is primarily Sangiovese with a small percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon. In the cellar, the grapes are destemmed and gently crushed before fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation in French and Hungarian oak barrels, where it matures for approximately 12 months. This specific wood regimen provides a polished structural framework that complements the intense fruit concentration without masking the estate's identity.

The fruit is sourced exclusively from the Tenuta Tignanello estate, located in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone between the Greve and Pesa river valleys. The vineyards are defined by their "Alberese" soils—a weathered limestone and marl that is prized for providing excellent drainage and imparting a refined mineral tension to the wine. At elevations reaching 400 meters, the vines benefit from significant diurnal temperature shifts, allowing the grapes to reach full phenolic ripeness while maintaining the essential freshness required for the Riserva category.