History and Terroir

Antinori is one of the most powerful and influential names in all of Italian wine. Although its roots date back to the 14th century, the Tuscan wine giant first rose to fame with the launch of their flagship cuvée, Tignanello, back in 1971. At the time, blending Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese was simply unheard of, as was aging in French barriques over larger oak vessels – with this breakthrough wine, Antinori did both. In doing so, the estate sparked a revolution all across Italy, and also pioneered the path for Super Tuscan wines as we know them today. Much of the estate’s current success is attributed to Piero Antinori, who began purchasing vineyards in the Chianti Classico area—including those destined for Tignanello—back in 1900. However, it was his son Niccolò who ultimately began experimenting with Bordeaux varieties in Tuscan soil – a “scandal” which rocked the region to its core. Upon his retirement in 1966, Niccolò’s son Piero took the reins. Carrying on the forward-thinking ways of his father, Piero also brought loads of new ideas and innovations to the estate, including experimenting with earlier harvests and executing vinification in a variety of vessels. Following Tignanello, Antinori launched Solaia in 1978, a similar Cabernet-led blend that also made waves across the industry, though the family’s viticultural ventures were just beginning. Over time, the family added Pèppoli, Badia a Passignano, Fattoria Aldobrandesca, La Braccesca (Vino Nobile di Montepulciano), Pian delle Vigne (Montalcino), and the massive Bolgheri-based Guado al Tasso to their Tuscan holdings, then set their sights abroad. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Antinori’s invested in Atlas Peak Winery and established joint ventures with Stag’s Leap and Col Solare in California, as well as with smaller estates in Hungary, Romania, Chile, and beyond. Elsewhere, the company added the 500-hectare Castello della Sala estate in Orvieto, Tormaresca in Apulia and Prunotto (Langhe to their Italian holdings, and Antica in Napa Valley to their American companies.

Farming and Winemaking

Today, Tignanello is produced from a 57-hectare vineyard and is bottled under the IGT Toscana appellation. It is created from 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc. Solaia, on the other hand, comes from a 10-hectare vineyard in Val di Pesa. This bold and ageworthy wine is crafted about 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese, and 5% Cabernet Franc. Both of these wines were undeniable game changers in the history of Antinori's estate and Tuscan red wine at large, and although they remain some of the most sought-after red wine bottlings on the market today, Antinori’s expansive lineup is continuously one to be discovered.