Tignanello

Tenuta dell Ornellaia is one of the foremost producers in the Bolgheri appellation on the coast of Tuscany. The history of the house dates back to the 14th Century, after the silk-weaving family moved to Florence and began to cultivate vines. In 1900, Antinori added the Tignanello vineyard to its portfolio, and Niccolò Antinori and his son Piero began to experiment with then unheard-of winemaking techniques and grape varieties. Antinori is particularly known for making one of Italy's most famous and expensive wines. 

Tignanello is the most famous of all Antinori's wines. The vineyard of the same name extends to 57 hectares on limestone-rich soils on a southwest-facing slope 350-400m above sea level. This wine was the first in the region to combine the regional staple Sangiovese with non-traditional international varieties. A typical composition for recent vintages would be 80 percent Sangiovese with 15 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 5 percent Cabernet Franc. Tignanello is aged for 12-14 months in a mix of new and one year-old French and Hungarian oak.

Intensely ruby red in color with purple highlights, the 2013 Tignanello shows an intense nose of ripe red fruit in addition to notes of vanilla, chocolate, and leather imparted from the oak. Spicy and balsamic sensations give additional complexity in the layers of aromatics. The wine is ample and enveloping on the palate with supple tannins and a savory freshness that fully respects the character and personality of the Sangiovese grape. The balance between acidity and tannins is excellent and the finish and aftertaste are of a lovely length and persistence.