Antinori Tignanello IGT

Tignanello's origin story traces to 1971, when Marchese Piero Antinori broke Chianti Classico law by introducing Cabernet Sauvignon into a Sangiovese-dominant blend—a deliberate heresy that redefined Tuscan winemaking. The vineyard sits on the San Casciano estate near Bargino, 300m elevation, on clay-limestone soils with south-southwest aspect, capturing afternoon sun across the Arno valley.

Production parameters anchor the wine's structure: hand-harvested Sangiovese (85%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%), and Cabernet Franc (5) ferment in temperature-controlled stainless steel, then age 12 months in French oak (50% new, 50% one-year-old), followed by 6 months in bottle before release. No malolactic in oak—the wine retains Sangiovese's natural acidity through élevage.

The transgression remains the special feature: Tignanello proved that Tuscan terroir could absorb Bordeaux varieties without dilution, creating a wine that reads as neither pure Sangiovese nor Bordeaux pastiche, but a third category entirely. Drinking beautifully from release through 15 years, with peak complexity at 5–10 years.