Ruby red with an aroma of fresh pomegranates, cherries, and orange peels, accompanied by subtle spicy hints of ginger. Floral notes complete the bouquet with accents of lavender, rose petals, and delicate balsamic nuances. A flavorful and well-structured palate, where soft tannins accompany an intense finish with warm notes of cocoa.
Villa Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva is a blend of Sangiovese and other complementary grape varieties, crafted as a tribute to Antinori’s historic wines. The inauguration of the new Antinori nel Chianti Classico winery inspired the family to reinterpret this Tuscan classic into a premium-quality wine with its own unmistakable style.
The 2021 vintage in Chianti Classico began with mild winter temperatures and was accompanied by rainfall until the end of March. Spring started with favorable conditions that led to early budding in the vineyards, but cool, dry weather in April slowed vine growth and development. May and June followed normal weather patterns, with temperatures never becoming too high, and occasional rainfall ensuring optimal flowering and fruit set. The summer was warm and dry, especially in August, but towards the end of the month, occasional rain created ideal conditions for the vines to begin the ripening phase. September and October were picture-perfect: sunny skies, no extreme temperatures, a refreshing breeze, and cool nighttime temperatures that allowed the perfectly healthy grapes to ripen under optimal conditions. Expectations were therefore high for an outstanding vintage. The harvest began in the second half of September with Sangiovese and was completed in the second week of October with the complementary grape varieties.
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The freshly harvested grapes were destemmed, gently crushed, and then transferred to stainless steel tanks, where alcoholic fermentation took place at a controlled temperature of 28 – 30°C. Maceration on the grape skins lasted 10-14 days to gently extract aromas, structure, and tannins. Sangiovese underwent malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks, while several batches of the other grape varieties were aged in old barriques. The different batches were blended and continued to mature in oak, predominantly in larger casks and a smaller percentage in barriques, until the end of spring 2023. Bottling began in July 2023.
About Antinori
The Italian Marchesi Antinori represents 26 generations of winemaking history at an absolute world-class level. A legacy spanning 630 years is almost hard to fathom when it concerns a single family of winemakers. Yet, Antinori can trace its roots all the way back to 1385, when Giovanni di Piero Antinori was admitted to the Arte Fiorentina dei Vinattieri, the winemakers’ guild in Florence. Today, Marchesi Antinori is a member of Primum Familiae Vini, an association of 12 of the world’s most prestigious, family-owned wineries. It doesn’t get much bigger than this.
Already during the Renaissance in Florence, Marchesi Antinori was a highly successful winery, and Alessandro Antinori was one of the wealthiest citizens of the city, which was the hub of great thinkers and artists like Leonardo da Vinci and writers like Dante Alighieri, who penned The Divine Comedy. Marchesi Antinori remains a family-owned business to this day, where values such as meticulous craftsmanship, an eye for even the smallest details, and a constant drive for improvement are deeply embedded in its DNA. Across 26 generations, the family has shaped Italian winemaking through innovative and sometimes bold decisions, always with a fundamental respect for tradition. In 1974, Marchesi Antinori released its first Tignanello, one of the earliest Super Tuscans. This wine shook the Italian wine industry and redefined what was possible in the country. Created from a blend of Sangiovese and the then “forbidden” foreign grape varieties Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, Piero Antinori was among the great innovators of a new wave of Super Tuscans, daring to create wines without adhering to old rules and norms. Today, Tignanello is considered one of the most significant wines in all of Italy’s winemaking history.
Antinori has already written many more chapters in its story than most wineries, yet the final chapter is far from being written. This becomes evident when you arrive at the distinguished winery. Everything is tastefully executed, from the exhibited works of Leonardo da Vinci and Giovanni Della Robbia to the light filtering in front of the elevator that leads to the small restaurant overlooking the vineyards. Though the family’s deep-rooted traditions play a significant role in their daily work and vision for each wine, it has never hindered Antinori’s constant innovative spirit, as demonstrated by Tignanello. The family continues to research new local and international grape varieties, experiment with alternative cultivation methods, vineyards at different elevations, fermentation techniques, and various aging barrels. Today, Albiera Antinori serves as the head of the estate.
