Tignanello 2022

The 2022 Tignanello opens with cherries and ripe black cherries, followed by pomegranate, violet, and a quietly balsamic herbal character. Vanilla and gentle spice add warmth around the fruit rather than dominating it. The palate is dense and generous, yet the tannins are supple and savoury, giving the wine a poised, flowing shape. Freshness holds the dark fruit in focus and carries floral, herbal, and oak-derived nuances into a long finish. Its strength lies in balance: ripe Tuscan fruit, Cabernet structure, and the energy of Sangiovese work together without any one element becoming excessive. The wine is accessible enough to enjoy after a generous decant, though its concentration and well-integrated tannin will support further cellar development. As it opens, black cherry and pomegranate become more expressive, while violet and balsamic notes lend lift and a distinctly Mediterranean sense of place. A final trace of spice and vanilla frames rather than masks the wine's energetic fruit.

Serve around 16–18°C and decant for one to three hours depending on bottle age. Florentine-style steak, roast lamb, duck ragù, wild boar pasta, or beef with rosemary will meet its dark fruit and savoury tannins. Tomato-based dishes should be rich rather than sharp; porcini, aubergine, celeriac, and grilled radicchio can underline its herbal and earthy side. Pecorino Toscano, Parmigiano Reggiano, and mature Taleggio are natural cheese partners. Avoid very sweet sauces or severe chilli. Use a generous red-wine glass and allow the wine to move gradually from black cherry and pomegranate toward violet, balsamic herbs, vanilla, and spice with patient air.

Tignanello comes from the Antinori family's celebrated Chianti Classico estate, which covers 319 hectares, including 165 hectares of vines. The vineyards lie on Pliocene-era soils rich in marine marl, limestone, and schist. The wine became a landmark of modern Tuscany by placing Sangiovese in dialogue with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc and by embracing barrique ageing outside the traditional Chianti formula. Its current blend has been established since 1982. The 2022 continues that history through a wine that feels recognisably Tuscan—fresh, savoury, floral, and animated—while retaining the density, polish, and structural precision associated with Tignanello. It remains one of the estate's defining modern expressions.

Store unopened on its side in a cool, dark, temperature-stable cellar. Keep away from heat, direct light, vibration, and sudden temperature changes. Serve around 16–18°C and decant before serving. Contains sulphites.