Antinori, Tignanello, 2011

Tignanello was the first Sangiovese to be aged in barriques, the first contemporary red wine blended with untraditional varieties (specifically Cabernet) and one of the first red wines in the Chianti Classico region that didna€™t use white grapes. Tignanello is a milestone. Ita€™s produced with a selection of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The Tenuta Tignanello estate is in the heart of Chianti Classico, in the gently rolling hillsides between the Greve and Pesa river valleys. It extends over an area of 319 hectares (788 acres), of which about 130 (321 acres) are dedicated to vines. Two of the estatea€™s prized vineyards are on the same hillside, Tignanello and Solaia, on soils that originated from marine marlstone from the Pliocene period rich in limestone and schist. The vines enjoy hot temperatures during the day and cooler evenings throughout the growing season. The estatea€™s two signature wines, Solaia and Tignanello, are produced from these vineyards and have been defined by the international press as a€œamong the most influential wines in the history of Italian viticulturea€. According to Marchesi Antinori, Solaia and Tignanello are an ongoing challenge and a never-ending passion.