“Tignanello” Toscana IGT 2023 · METHUSALEM 6 liters in OWC

Marchesi Antinori | Tenuta Tignanello | Tuscany
Marchesi Antinori S.p.A. | Piazza Antinori 3 | IT 50123 Firenze

09184923 · 6 l · 316,50 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shipping3 units available
Limitation of 1 articles per customer

There are wines that have changed the history of their country. Not by chance, nor because of a passing trend – but through a single, well-founded act of provocation. In 1971, Piero Antinori commissioned one of the most prominent Italian graphic designers of his time to design the label for his new wine: Silvio Coppola, renowned for book covers and designer furniture, for his austerity and minimalist style. The label was minimalist – but the wine behind it was a revolution. No Trebbiano, no Malvasia. No white grapes in the red wine, as the Chianti regulations had stipulated since Ricasoli's time. Instead: Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc. Barrique instead of large casks. A wine that consequently automatically fell outside the DOC classification – and was launched on the market as a simple "Vino da Tavola". Piero Antinori signed the label with his father Niccolò's name: a gesture of gratitude for the trust that had allowed him the boldness to do so in the first place.

What happened next is wine history. Tignanello became the forerunner of the Super Tuscans – that category of wines which demonstrated what Tuscany is capable of beyond the rules of the appellations. The vineyard that gives the wine its name lies at an altitude of 350 to 400 metres in San Casciano Val di Pesa: 77 hectares, south-west facing, with limestone, galestro and alberese soils, and breezes blowing between the Greve and Pesa valleys. The blend has remained unchanged since 1982 – the proportions vary slightly depending on the vintage, but the character remains the same.

2023: A cool, rainy spring brought significant downy mildew pressure – yet the high altitude and good ventilation of the Tignanello vineyard provided effective protection, whilst lower-lying areas struggled. The summer was hot, without any extreme heatwaves – and September and October brought the diurnal temperature fluctuations that Sangiovese needs to develop aromatic depth. The harvest began on 20 September with Sangiovese. Cabernet Franc followed at the end of September, whilst Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested in early October. Rigorous selection in the vineyard and in the cellar was crucial to the result. Fermentation took place separately by variety in conical wooden vats, followed by malolactic fermentation in barriques, then around 15 months' ageing in predominantly new barriques made from French oak and a small proportion of Hungarian oak. After blending, the wine spent a further 12 months in the bottle.

An intense ruby red with violet highlights. The bouquet offers sour cherry and ripe plum, pomegranate and violet – precise, clear and of aromatic purity. Underlying this, a thread of graphite, cedarwood, fresh tobacco and a hint of liquorice runs through the bouquet. The palate is both polished and concentrated – the fine-grained tannins underpin the wine, the acidity gives it direction, and the final possesses the length and clarity one would expect from a vineyard that has spent over fifty years discovering its true character. SUPERIORE.DE

"The Tignanello 2023 is a refined, sophisticated wine. Soft and open, with lovely, forward fruit and bright acidity, the 2023 is an absolute delight. Floral, spicy and blood-orange notes blend with a core of red Sangiovese fruit. This year's blend contains slightly more Cabernet Franc, which is evident in the wine's aromatic profile. The 2023 is a juicy, medium-bodied Tignanello that offers plenty of immediacy and sheer appeal. It has more finesse than power." Vinous

"Aromas and flavours of cherry, blackcurrant, violet, minerals, vanilla and toasted oak are the hallmarks of this refined, complex red wine. It impresses with its superb balance and intensity, whilst a wealth of fruit and spice notes characterise the finish." Wine Spectator

"A dark, broodingwine of great precision, with lively notes of cassis, graphite and cedar, very balsamic with hints of eucalyptus and camphor. Full-bodied, with weight and substance on the mid-palate. It displays an elegant attack with velvety tannins, refreshing acidity and a long-lasting depth of graphite. Suitable for immediate enjoyment or for ageing." James Suckling