Tignanello was the first Sangiovese to be aged in barriques, the first contemporary red wine blended with untraditional varieties (specifically Cabernet) and one of the first red wines in the Chianti Classico region that didn’t use white grapes. Tignanello is a milestone. It’s produced with a selection of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.
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 about 130 (321 acres) are dedicated to vines. Two of the estate’s prized vineyards are on the same hillside, Tignanello and Solaia, on soils that originated from marine marlstone from the Pliocene period rich in limestone and schist. The vines enjoy hot temperatures during the day and cooler evenings throughout the growing season. The estate’s two signature wines, Solaia and Tignanello, are produced from these vineyards and have been defined by the international press as “among the most influential wines in the history of Italian viticulture”. According to Marchesi Antinori, Solaia and Tignanello are an ongoing challenge and a never-ending passion. The Tignanello estate has vineyards of indigenous Sangiovese grapes as well as some other untraditional varieties such as Cabernet Franc.
The 2017 vintage will be remembered for its unusual progression of the seasons. Only the month of January registered cold temperatures while the rest of winter was mild prompting early bud break in the vineyards. A cold spell at the end of April brought a slight drop in production. From May throughout the entire month of August, the Chianti Classico region enjoyed hot dry weather with daily temperatures reaching over 30 °C (86 °F). Rain showers during the month of September counterbalanced summertime vine stress and provided favorable conditions for optimal grape maturation. Grapes were harvested from September 20th to October 6th.
The label was designed by Silvio Coppola in 1974 for the release of Tignanello 1971. The idea to commission this artist was discussed at an event at Castello della Sala in 1973. Silvio Coppola was an important Italian graphic and interior designer who was famous for his minimalist lighting fixtures and austere furniture but also for book cover designs for Italian publishing company Feltrinelli. Silvio Coppola was the perfect match for the job.
Pairing Suggestions: A perfect wine to pair with roasts, fatty meats, aged cheeses and savory pasta dishes.
Maturation: Climatic trends for the 2017 vintage required focused efforts both in the vineyard, during harvesting operations, and in the cellar, upon arrival of the grapes, where sorting and initial production phases were critical to achieve an optimal final result. During fermentation in truncated cone shaped tanks, maceration processes were performed with the utmost care to preserve aromas, extract colour and manage the sweetness and elegance of tannins. Racking was done only after meticulous and daily tastings. Once the wine was run off the skins, malolactic fermentation began in small oak barrels to enhance the finesse and complexity of the aromas. In the first phase of the aging process, each vineyard lot and each grape variety were fermented separately and then blended. The wine was then transferred to French and Hungarian oak barrels, partially new and partially second-fill, for a period of 14-16 months to complete the final development of the wine’s distinctive character. Tignanello, crafted predominantly with Sangiovese and a small percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, was aged in the bottle for an additional period of 12 months before being released in the market.
