2004 Antinori Tuscany Tignanello

The 2004 Antinori Tuscany Tignanello 750 ml is from the Tuscany region of Italy. Winemaking in the Antinori family began, in significant terms, in 1385 when Giovanni di Piero Antinori joined the Florentine Guild of Vintners. Over the subsequent 26 generations this family-owned business has elevated their craft to one of the most respected, premium Italian wines. Today, Marchese Piero Antinori directs the long-lived family vision, and his three daughters participate in various activities with the firm. It was really during the 1960's and 70's, when they brought on famed wine consultant, Giacomo Tachis, and began experimenting with different vinification techniques (controlled temperatures, aging in bottle, and barrels comprising a range of types and styles), that the Antinori wine began to make worldwide acclaim. Rather than trying to copy Bordeaux–style claret, Antinori sought to convey the versatility and finesse of the noble Sangiovese grape. Adding malolactic fermentation for red wines, aging in barrels, omitting white grape varieties from the blend, and using non-indigenous varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Antinori was able to launch two of the most successful and compelling Super-Tuscan labels on the market - Tignanello and Solaia. Tignanello, the second official Super-Tuscan (the first was Sassicaia), debuted in 1971 and is a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The name, Tignanello, is actually after the vineyard that grows these amazing grapes. Aged for about 12 months in barrels and another 12 months in bottle, Tignanello has received so many accolades from critics they are too numerous to list -- the price is a reflection of the high demand for this wine. And even though Chianti Classico DOCG have changed their rules to accommodate Super-Tuscans like Tignanello, Antinori continues to bottle it under the Toscana IGT wine category.