The Wine

Tignanello was the first Sangiovese to be aged in barriques, the first contemporary red wine blended with untraditional varieties and one of the first red wines in the Chianti Classico region that did not use white grapes. Tignanello is a milestone.

Climate

The 2023 growing season in Chianti Classico began with cold dry weather during the winter months, and especially at the end of March, timing of budbreak was consistent with seasonal averages. Cool and rainy conditions persisted from the end of April throughout the first half of June. The summer months brought hot dry weather uninterrupted by extreme heat spikes that ensured an optimal balance in vegetative vigor and crop load. Moderate precipitation in August and normal fall weather in September and October allowed the fruit to begin veraison and reach peak ripeness. The grape harvest for Tignanello began around September 20th for Sangiovese and was completed during the first half of October with Cabernet.

Vineyards

Tignanello is produced exclusively from the vineyard of the same name, a parcel of some 190 acres (77 hectares) with limestone-rich soils and a southwestern exposure at 1150-1325 feets (350-400 meters) above sea level at the Tignanello estate. Originally designated as a Chianti Classico Riserva, a new innovative approach with the 1971 vintage decisively shaped Italian viticulture. It was the first Sangiovese wine to be aged in small oak barrels, the first to use non-traditional varieties, such as Cabernet, and among the first red wines from the Chianti Classico area to be produced without white grapes.

Winemaking

During fermentation in truncated conical tanks, each individual must was macerated on the skins giving particular emphasis to preserving aromas, extracting color, and encouraging desirable tannins that were supple and elegant. Racking was performed after daily sampling and tasting. Once separated from the skins, the wine was transferred into small oak barrels where it underwent malolactic fermentation to accentuate aromatic finesse and complexity. Aging took place in French oak barrels and a small percentage in Hungarian oak, predominantly new barrels. After an initial period of aging the lots separately, they were blended then completed barrel aging. Tignanello, crafted mainly with Sangiovese and a small percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, underwent an additional period of aging in the bottle before being released.

History

The Tenuta Tignanello estate is in the heart of Chianti Classico, in the gently rolling hillsides between the Greve and Pesa river valleys. It extends over an area of 319 hectares (788 acres), of which 165 (408 acres) are dedicated to vines.

The current 16th century manor house was built on the foundations of an estate that dates back to 1346 when the property belonged to the Buondelmonti’s, a noble family that owned a great part of the land in Valle della Pesa. In the seventeenth century, a cadet branch of the Medici family took possession of the estate and named it Fonte dei Medici. In the mid 1800’s the Antinori family acquired the estate.

The “Carocci”, a historical-artistic guide of the town of San Casciano Val di Pesa, described the Tignanello farm and extensive vineyards in 1892 as one of the highest and more picturesque localities in the entire territory.

Tasting Notes

Tignanello 2023 is an intense ruby red color. The nose opens with intriguing notes of ripe cherries, pomegranates and oranges that lead to delicate hints of hibiscus and violets. The generous bouquet follows over to hints of sweet spices of cocoa and pencil lead and closes with delicate impressions of white pepper and cranberries. Entry on the palate is precise, pure and reveals a juicy, mouth-filling mid-palate with silky supple tannins. The long, savory finish delivers distinct notes of blood oranges and roasted hazelnuts.