2023 Antinori - Chianti Classico DOCG Peppoli (750ml)

Antinori has been making wine in Florence for roughly six centuries and is now led by its 26th generation, with Marchese Piero Antinori working alongside his three daughters. Pèppoli is a single estate in the heart of Chianti Classico, owned and farmed by the family and known for mineral-rich soils. It sits about five kilometers from the Tignanello vineyards.

The 2023 Chianti Classico is mostly Sangiovese, complemented by other indigenous grape varieties. Each variety is fermented separately in stainless steel, and the wine then rests for nine months in large, older Slavonian oak barrels. The 2023 season ranked among the warmest in Italy in recent memory, yet Tuscany came through in good shape, and the vintage leans toward a riper, richer style than usual.

Bright ruby in color, the wine shows ripe plum, blackcurrant, and cherry, along with crushed flowers, violet, and a whisper of smoke and orange peel. The palate has a soft, polished entry and juicy dark fruit, with a thread of licorice and spice and ripe, fine-grained tannins. The finish is fresh, savory, and lasting. Silky and generous, it is an easy-drinking, modern take on Chianti Classico.