Antinori
Giovanni di Piero Antinori joined the Florentine Guild of Vintners
in 1385, beginning an oenological legacy that has lasted over 26
generations. Throughout the company's history, it has remained
family-owned and operated. Today, Marchese Piero Antinori directs the
long-lived family vision, and his three daughters participate in
various activities with the firm.
Famed wine consultant Giacomo Tachis began his celebrated
tenure with Antinori in 1961, a year that witnessed the inception of
new vinification techniques (controlled temperatures, aging in bottle,
and barrels comprising a range of types and styles) and the beginning
of a revisionist period in the concept of Chianti (which was later
actualized in various methods utilized to maximize extraction and
aroma). This dynamic period of experimentation continued over the
course of several years, with some of the pivotal initiatives including
the use of maloactic fermentation for red wines, aging in barrique, and planting of several non-indigenous varietals.
The most tangible and compelling evocation of these
progressive efforts, of course, is captured in Antinori’s extensive
portfolio, which features some of Italy’s most revered and sought-after
bottlings.
Piero Antinori desired not to recreate a Bordeaux–style
claret, but rather, to convey the versatility and finesse of the noble
Sangiovese.
Drawing upon the consummate skill of Giacomo Tachis,
Antinori realized his conception in the form of the second official
Super-Tuscan—Tignanello—debuting in 1971 as a blend of 80% Sangiovese,
15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc. While second in the
Super-Tuscan timeline, its conception entailed several inaugural
efforts: It was the first modern wine of Chianti to contain a
nontraditional grape—Cabernet Sauvignon—while omitting white grapes,
and the premiere wine to be aged in small barrels.
Solaia—another name in Tachis’ canon— followed soon
thereafter, emerging as Tignanello’s friendly estate rival virtually
upon its international debut (1979). While its initial appearance
(1978) enjoyed only limited release in its native land, the original
composition—80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc—was replicated
in the ’79. After a series of slight alterations reflecting the
nuances of individual vintages, Solaia’s identity emerged as today’s
current blend—Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, and Cabernet Franc.
While Piero was technically the last of the family to enter
Bolgheri's Maremma, the inception of the Guado al Tasso estate
formally established his claim to the Maremma, as it was founded upon
land inherited by his mother, Carlotta della Gherardesca Antinori. The
eponymous flagship wine of Guado al Tasso (1990)—a Cabernet-Merlot-Syrah
blend—provides a genuine articulation of the region and its varietal
constituents.
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