Villa Antinori was first crafted in 1928 by Marchese Niccolò Antinori, Piero Antinori’s father, as the Antinori family’s signature wine; an exceptional wine that can represent the family’s history, identity and continuity like no other. “Villa Antinori is a full-blooded Tuscan red […] which grapes are grown, mature and are harvested from our Tuscan estates and then fermented and aged in the Antinori family estates.” Piero Antinori.
Villa Antinori was first crafted in 1928 by Marchese Niccolò Antinori, Piero Antinori’s father, as the Antinori family’s signature wine; an exceptional wine that can represent the family’s history, identity and continuity like no other. “Villa Antinori is a full-blooded Tuscan red […] which grapes are grown, mature and are harvested from our Tuscan estates and then fermented and aged in the Antinori family estates.” Piero Antinori.
Villa Antinori was first crafted in 1928 by Marchese Niccolò Antinori, Piero Antinori’s father, as the Antinori family’s signature wine; an exceptional wine that can represent the family’s history, identity and continuity like no other. “Villa Antinori is a full-blooded Tuscan red […] which grapes are grown, mature and are harvested from our Tuscan estates and then fermented and aged in the Antinori family estates.” Piero Antinori.
Back in 1928, Niccolò Antinori decided to christen this wine Villa Antinori, in honor of the family’s eponymous villa; it was a reflection of his own personal interpretation of Chianti Classico’s and Tuscany’s unique identity.
Villa Antinori was first crafted in 1928 by Marchese Niccolò Antinori, Piero Antinori’s father, as the Antinori family’s signature wine; an exceptional wine that can represent the family’s history, identity and continuity like no other. “Villa Antinori is a full-blooded Tuscan red […] which grapes are grown, mature and are harvested from our Tuscan estates and then fermented and aged in the Antinori family estates.” Piero Antinori.
The label’s design represents our concept of home, our territory and Tuscany. “The French have châteaux, but we have Villas!” Niccolò Antinori cheerfully explained his choice for the illustration on the front label, an innovative design that broke with more traditional packaging conventions of that time.
Villa del Cigliano, located in the gently rolling hillsides of San Casciano Val di Pesa, in the province of Florence, has always been a symbol of strong family relationships; the villa has watched over the lives of generations of Antinori family members since 1546, the year Alessandro di Niccolò Antinori became the owner of the property.
The growing season was characterized by little rainfall during the winter months and for the entire summer with the exception of the month of April and in early May, when rains assisted the regular growth and development of the vines and grapes. A warm summer led to an early harvest for the Merlot and Syrah towards the beginning of September. The picking of the Sangiovese and the Cabernet Sauvignon, instead, began in late September and concluded in early October. The grapes were healthy and of excellent quality.
The harvested grapes were destemmed and given a soft pressing, and the must then went into temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Fermentation began a day after pressing and lasted from five to seven days; the wine then macerated on its skins for an additional eight to twelve days. The fermentation temperatures of the Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese, held to a maximum of 82° Fahrenheit (28° centigrade), favored the extraction of color and tannins, while the Syrah and Merlot fermented at maximum temperature of 77° Fahrenheit (25° centigrade) to help preserve aroma. After going through a complete malolactic fermentation during the months of October and November, the wine went into French, Hungarian, and American oak barrels, where it aged for twelve months. The wine was then bottled and given an additional eight months of bottle aging before commercial release.
Villa Antinori was first crafted in 1928 by Marchese Niccolò Antinori, Piero Antinori’s father, as the Antinori family’s signature wine; an exceptional wine that can represent the family’s history, identity and continuity like no other. “Villa Antinori is a full-blooded Tuscan red […] which grapes are grown, mature and are harvested from our Tuscan estates and then fermented and aged in the Antinori family estates.” Piero Antinori.
An intense ruby red in color, the wine shows intense and complex aromas of ripe red fruit, sweet spices, and dried fruit. The palate, of good body, is round with supple and velvety tannins, the finish long, sustained, and savory.
James Suckling 91/100 USA Wine Advocate 90+/100 USA
Villa Antinori was first of all an idea, a plan that envisioned the winemaking process: research and development on one side and historical heritage on the other. Villa Antinori is an important corner stone as its name is associated with over 100 years of history. At the same time it represents ongoing progress. The one essential principle is continuous research for increasingly higher quality standards. This idea produced two different wines that share a common passion for quality: Villa Antinori Rosso and Villa Antinori Bianco. Villa Antinori was originally produced in 1928 by Marchese Niccolò Antinori as a Chianti Classico that could age and that would improve over time. Soon after, Villa Antinori was found in the most prestigious cellars in embassies, royal houses, important hotels and restaurants. In 1931, Villa Antinori Bianco was made from traditional Trebbiano grapes. In the 1980’s a small percentage of Chardonnay was added in order to give the wine better structure.
The historical Villa Antinori wine has been chosen as the Official Wine Supplier for the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome, the world's greatest golf event. “Being a golfer myself, it's a source of great pride for me and my family to partner with the Ryder Cup for this very important sporting event. Being chosen to accompany the Ryder Cup along this journey with Villa Antinori, our most historical wine and a symbol of Tuscany and quality, perfectly pairs with the great history and significance of this event. Created just one year apart, both Villa Antinori and the Ryder Cup have been sharing the same values and excellence for almost 100 years.” Cit. Piero Antinori, Honorary President of Marchesi Antinori. Visit the website | rydercup.com