Marchesi Antinori Tignanello 2023

Colin Hay – The Drinks Business, March 2026 | 98 Points
"A fantastic vintage of this Tuscan superstar, a Super Tuscan so clearly and surely but undemonstratively so, with no excess – just poise, harmony, elegance and, above all, finesse. This is gorgeously beguiling and enticing aromatically, drawing you in to its dark web of berry and stone fruits, graphite, cracked black pepper and subtler floral and herbal notes. I love the little hint of cornflowers, lilac and blueberry. Shimmering in its crystalline purity, with the ultra-fine-grained, almost glassy, tannins pixilating the mid-palate, picking out details as they do so and offering an early glimpse of the staggering complexity and layering of this wine. "

Jeb Dunnuck – July 2026 | Drink: 2027–2057 | 97 Points
"The 2023 Tignanello pours a saturated, youthful red/purple hue and is deeply layered and expressive, with pure aromas of black cherry liqueur, fresh blackberry, lavender, forest herbs, polished cedar, and fresh earth. Full-bodied, it floats across the palate with supple, approachable fruit that beautifully balances the structure. A refreshing spine of acidity, refined, even tannins, and a long, seamless finish give the wine both precision and length. Composed of 80% Sangiovese, with the balance Cabernet Sauvignon and increasing amounts of Cabernet Franc (which adds lift and verticality), this is a vintage with the backbone to age for decades while already offering immediate appeal. It’s long, luxurious, and beautifully balanced."

Antinori, a story passed down through 26 generations.
The Antinori family has been making wine for over six hundred years, ever since Giovanni di Piero Antinori became a member of the Arte Fiorentina dei Vinattieri in 1385. Today, Albiera Antinori is the president of Marchesi Antinori with the continuous close support of her two sisters, Allegra and Alessia. Tradition, passion, and intuition are the three driving forces that led Marchesi Antinori to establish itself as one of the most important winemakers of elite Italian wine.

Tignanello, a milestone.
Tignanello is produced exclusively from the vineyard of the same name, a parcel of some 140 acres (57 hectares) with limestone rich soils and a southwestern exposure at 350-400 meters above sea level at the Tignanello estate. It 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 is produced with a selection of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.

2023 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. Antinori

Vinification and Aging
This growing season’s climate trends challenged us to be focused and diligent both in the vineyards during harvesting activities and when grapes were brought to the cellar where sorting operations and initial winemaking processes were essential to achieve optimal results. During fermentation in truncated conical tanks, each 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 only after rigorous 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, for a total period of 13 months; 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 12-month period of aging in the bottle before being released.