2023 Antinori, Piero - Toscana Rosso IGT Tignanello Super Tuscan (750ml)
One of the wines that started the Super Tuscan revolution, born in 1971 as the first contemporary Chianti-zone red to age Sangiovese in French barriques and blend it with Cabernet, a genuine turning point in Italian wine history. Sourced exclusively from the Antinori family's namesake 77-hectare Tenuta Tignanello, nestled between the Greve and Pesa valleys at 350-400 meters on limestone-rich soils. The 2023 blend leans on Sangiovese with Cabernet Sauvignon and a touch more Cabernet Franc than prior vintages, giving it extra aromatic lift. Expect an intense ruby red color with a nose of ripe cherry, pomegranate, and orange, moving into hibiscus and violet, layered with cocoa, pencil lead, and white pepper. The palate is precise and juicy, with silky, supple tannins and a long, savory finish carrying blood orange and roasted hazelnut. Softer and more open-knit than the more powerful 2022, this is finesse over force, delicious now but built to age through 2047.