Tignanello: A Deep Dive
Tignanello is the wine that, together with Sassicaia, founded the Super Tuscan movement. Produced by the Marchesi Antinori at their estate of the same name in the Chianti Classico zone south of Florence, Tignanello broke the Chianti rules by blending Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc with Sangiovese — and aging the wine in small French barriques rather than the traditional large Slavonian botti.
The 1971 vintage
The 1971 Tignanello was the first to include international varieties in significant proportion. Released as humble Vino da Tavola because it violated the Chianti DOC rules of the time, it nonetheless received immediate critical acclaim. Marchese Piero Antinori and winemaker Giacomo Tachis are credited with the vision.
The composition
Modern Tignanello is approximately 80% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc. The estate is a single 47-hectare vineyard at 350-400 metres altitude on the Tignanello hill in the Chianti Classico heartland, with limestone-rich soils.
The siblings
The Tignanello estate also produces:
- Solaia — 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 5% Sangiovese. The prestige red, often considered Tuscany's answer to the first growths. Vintages 1997, 2001, 2007, 2010, 2015, and 2016 are reference points.
- Tignanello white — historic, a small amount of Chardonnay made on the estate.
- Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva — the more classical wine from the same property.
The DOC question
Tignanello was released as Vino da Tavola from 1971 until 1992, when Italy created the Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) category specifically to accommodate quality wines that did not fit the DOC rules. Tignanello is now bottled as Toscana IGT.
Reference vintages
1971 (the first), 1985, 1990, 1997, 2001, 2007, 2010, 2015, and 2016 are touchstones. The wine ages 15-25 years in great vintages.
Visiting
The Tignanello estate offers structured visits at the Antinori nel Chianti Classico winery — a Marco Casamonti-designed building opened in 2012, set partly underground into the hillside. The visitor experience is among the best in Tuscany; book ahead.
Explore on the map
Find the Tignanello estate on the interactive map. Filter to Tuscany and zoom to the Chianti Classico zone south of Florence — the Antinori cellar at San Casciano is the visitor hub.