2011 Tignanello, Antinori, Tuscany, Italy

Truly an iconic wine, Tignanello’s origins lie in a single vineyard Chianti Classico Riserva ‘Vigneto Tignanello‘ made for the 1970 vintage.  Even at this point it broke new ground by being the first Sangiovese aged in small oak barrels, and the die was cast from the 1971 vintage, when it became a Vino da Tavola della Toscana and was named Tignanello after the vineyard from where the fruit originates.  Over the following eleven years Tignanello gradually evolved into the wine we recognise today – a wine that no longer follows the rules laid down by Chianti Classico Disciplinare.andnbsp; A blend of 80% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc that is produced only in the finest vintages.

Over the recent years, the growing excitement and appetite for Italy’s top wines and in particular the Super Tuscan wines has become insatiable.

The excitement behind the renaissance of the Super Tuscan wines is paraphrased brilliantly by Monica Larner of the Wine Advocate – “The buzz is back. Italy’s most iconic wine estate – the ground zero for all fine wine made in the country today – has entered an exciting new chapter with a renewed sense of purpose. This change was not sparked by any single event, rather a confluence of events starting with a fortuitous string of great vintages.”  With a string of very good vintages such as 2008, 2009, 2010 and now 2011, Tignanello is on fine form.