Italy, Tuscany
Comments
Tignanello debuted in 1971 and quite quickly became one of the most important Supertoscans. Although originally bottled as Chianti Classico, it was planned from the beginning as a revolutionary wine. Its creator, Piero Antinori, wanted to shake up the entire Tuscan wine industry. He was the first to mature his wine in French barrels, abandoned all additional varieties focusing on sangiovese, put the name of the vineyard on the label (hence the original name of the wine Chianti Classico Riserva Vigneto Tignanello), and finally complemented the sangiovese with both cabernets and eventually lost the right to the name Chinati Classico.
This approach, however, was a complete success, and subsequent winemakers began to follow the path thus outlined, fueling the Supertoscan movement. Tignanello remains one of the most popular wines of this group to this day, primarily due to its high quality, unique character and affordable price, which has not succumbed to speculation like other Supertoscans.
The 2010 vintage offers a rich bouquet of dark fruit, chocolate and smoke. Full, massive body held in check by very firm tannins, suggesting remarkable aging potential. Great to drink today, but worth forgetting at least one bottle for a few years.
