Antinori is a Tuscany-based wine company that is one of the largest and most prominent in Italy. The Chianti Classico region forms the focus of operations, though the company has interests in various countries, and around 20 million bottles are produced annually across 150 labels.
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 experiement with then unheard-of winemaking techniques and grape varieties. The first vintage of Tignanello was released in 1971.
Tignanello is the most famous of all Antinori's wines. The vineyard of the same name extends to 57 hectares (140 acres) on limestone-rich soils on a southwest-facing slope 1150-1300ft (350-400m) above sea level. This wine was the first in the region to combine Sangiovese with non-traditional international varieties, and to omit white grapes, hence being classified as a Vino da Tavola. It is now a Toscana IGT. 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 year-old French and Hungarian oak.
From the sunniest part of the Tignanello hill comes the Solaia Toscana IGT, with 75 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 20 percent Sangiovese and 5 percent Cabernet Franc. The fruit for the Marchese Antinori Riserva (90 percent Sangiovese) is also sourced from the Tignanello vineyard.
