Marchesi Antinori Tignanello: 8 Best Vintages, Prices, Tasting Notes

Tignanello is a legendary “Super Tuscan” red wine first made in the 1970s by the prestigious Italian winery Marchesi Antinori. 

This Italian wine is equally loved by serious collectors, wine asset managers, and celebrities alike! 

Fun fact: Tignanello is celebrity Meghan Markle’s favorite wine. She had a lifestyle blog, The Tig, named after this magnificent drink.

In this article, discover all about Antinori’s Tignanello - its origins, the best vintages to buy in 2023, aging, investment potential, and more!

The Revered Tenuta Tignanello Estate

The Tenuta Tignanello wine estate has been under the ownership of the Antinori family for over 25 generations. They’ve dedicated 127 hectares (nearly 40%) of alberese limestone rock covered land to vineyards. 

The most famous vineyard is Tignanello, followed by Solaia. 

The calcareous marl limestone rich soils make the perfect terroir for indigenous grape varieties like Sangiovese and non-traditional varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Tignanello and Solaia wines produced here are some of the most influential ones in the history of Italian wine. 

Let’s dive into Tignanello’s colorful history to understand why the wine is so unique!

Tignanello: A Story of Pioneering Innovations

In the 1960s, winemaker Piero Antinori visited various wine regions across the globe - mostly Bordeaux in France and California in the US to bring back the finesse of Sangiovese wine. 

Inspired by Bordeaux winemaking practices, he set up the Tignanello vineyard in the Chianti Classico region - to experiment with saving the rich heritage of the Italian grapes along with Giacomo Tachis.

On the advice of Prof. Emile Peynaud, Marchese Piero Antinori took a few big risks. All of these paid off, kicking off the Super Tuscan revolution! 

Here’s what he did:

• For the first time for a Chianti, he decided not to use any white grapes (Malvasia, Trebbiano, and Chardonnay) in the red wine blend to bring down the flavor of Sangiovese. It would bring down the DOC status of the Chianti Classico to mere table wine, but Piero took the risk. 
• The first vintage made by Marchese Piero Antinori (80% Sangiovese grape, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc) was the first red wine to have an untraditional grape variety - Cabernet Sauvignon.
• Piero Antinori aged the wine in small oak barrels (new barrique) rather than old oak barrels. 

So, which are the best Tignanello vintages that you should get hold of? And, what does Tignanello wine taste like?

8 Best Antinori Tignanello Vintages to Buy in 2023 (Including Prices & Tasting Notes)

Tignanello is made predominantly with Sangiovese and Cabernet grape varieties.

It was the first Sangiovese wine made with no Trebbiano or other white grapes.

It is known for its aromatic intensity and flavors of red fruit, sour cherry, spice, tobacco, and herbs. But, there is something unique in every vintage. 

1. 1971 Marchesi Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT ($582) 

The first vintage from the Tignanello vineyard, the 1971 Antinori Tignanello is a blend of 80% Sangiovese and 15% Cabernet grapes (untraditional varieties.) 

The aging in barrique gives it unique oak flavors of chocolate, sweet tobacco, cedar, and vanilla. On the nose, you get hints of licorice, cigar, espresso bean, and cassis. The silky perfectly ripe tannins give it a smooth finish, and the wine glides through the palate, leaving a lasting taste.

2. 1975 Marchesi Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT ($213)

The 1975 Antinori was only produced in limited quantities. But, it was such a fine wine that the winery quickly ran out of the vintage. Today, it is one of the most favorable vintages and more difficult to find than the first vintage. 

Spice aromas dominate the nose while the aging in small oak barrels adds notes of dried earth, pipe tobacco, and leather. On the palate, this wine packs dark fruit notes.

With supple velvety tannins and medium-high acidity, this Super Tuscan wine is a blast of red fruit flavors. You also get fruit hints of blackberry, black cherry, and plum with Mediterranean herbs with a lasting finish.

3. 1977 Marchesi Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT ($168)

Another complex vintage from the winemaker, this Tuscan wine has a nose that’s dominated by pure aromas of dark chocolate, sweet tobacco, cedar, and vanilla. Cabernet Sauvignon adds fruit notes of black cherry, black currant, blueberry, and plum.

The aging in barriques has allowed this deep and jovial wine to develop oak and dark fruit flavors. 

4. 1979 Marchesi Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT ($350)

The 1979 vintage vino showcases maturity while still maintaining its freshness. 

This Italian wine gives off delicate aromas of herbal tea with notes of red fruit, dried flowers, mint, cocoa, vanilla, and licorice. The hint of mulling spice and the lasting finish make it a perfect wine for a lively celebration!

5. 1993 Marchesi Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT ($257)

Another powerful vintage from the producer, the 1993 vintage has a rich complexity and dominant fruit character - perfect for first-time Tignanello drinkers. 

Sangiovese adds ripe red fruit flavors and firm tannins to the wine. The wine is dominated by Mediterranean herbs, dried flowers, cherry liquor, raisins, and a hint of wood with a tonic acidity. 

The wine gives a tangy freshness to the palate with a classic Tignanello long finish and prominent acidity.

6. 2015 Marchesi Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT ($169) 

This younger Super Tuscan is an ideal vintage for wine collectors. An exquisite and perfumed wine, the 2015 vintage promises great aging. 

Fresh acidity and mouth-watering red fruit flavors give the wine depth. Currently, the flavors of red cherry, blackberries, rose water, and ripe red fruit like raspberry dominate the palate, but you also get slight hints of aging in barriques and herbs that would develop as the wine matures. 

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate had given this Italian wine 96 points for its immediate accessibility and fully bloomed rose nose.

7. 2016 Marchesi Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT ($164) 

Another young Tignanello, this Super Tuscan is ready to drink even though it is young. 

The fermentation allows the wine to develop notes of juicy cherries - red and black with savory spice flavors and fresh herbs, and wet earth that will become more expressive as the wine ages. 

You also get a hint of wild berries (bright red toned berries) and the sweet spice flavors add a slight kick to the wine. The firm tannins give it a good aging potential of around 40 years. 

8. 2017 Marchesi Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT ($137) 

The Tignanello 2017 is one of the most favorable vintages with excellent aging potential. With a delicate aroma, this wine has a fresh primary fruit flavor of black currant. 

The wine is aged in conical oak barrels lending it the classic Tignanello Super Tuscan flavors of sweet tobacco and licorice.

Now, do the non-traditional varieties of grapes affect the aging potential of this Toscana IGT wine? 

Does Tignanello Wine Age Well?

Sangiovese grapes add firm tannins to the wine giving it excellent aging potential. That’s why this Super Tuscan wine is one of the most sought-after collectibles among wine investors and collectors. 

The recent vintages show that Tignanello is great to drink young, but the more mature vintages have more deep and complex flavors. 

Investing in Tignanello Wine

Super Tuscans as a category is one of the most sought-after investment wines today - and so is Tignanello. The best part is that most vintages are more affordably priced than other Super Tuscans or Bordeaux first growths.

In terms of popularity, it is as sought-after in Hong Kong and the East as it is in Europe and the US today.

So, the 25,000-30,000 cases of Tignanello produced annually are usually sold out globally within days.

Rave critic reviews are an added plus. Robert Parker described the 2010 vintage as “an articulate wine with a long story to tell about the quality of its profound 2010 fruit."

The wine’s price appreciation is relatively stable. For instance, the 2013 vintage has seen a 45% price increase from $112 in 2019 to $160 in 2021.

So, how do you buy the best Tignanello for your collection without worrying about counterfeits or having to go through the hassles of buying, shipping, and storing it?

The best option would be to entrust a wine investment company like Vinovest to buy and store your bottle for you!

Wine Grapes Used in Tignanello and their Flavors

As you’ve seen, Tignanello wines have three major grape varieties in their blend. 

Let’s see what flavors these grapes contribute to the wine.

• Sangiovese: Tignanello wines are known to showcase the full expression, finesse and texture of the Sangiovese grape. The 80-85% Sangiovese content gives it red berry fruit flavors of strawberry, red plum, fig, and cherry. 
• Cabernet Sauvignon: The first untraditional grape variety added to a Chianti wine, Cabernet Sauvignon, adds dark fruit flavors of black cherry, black currant, cedar, baked spices, and graphite.
• Cabernet Franc: The parent grape of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, adds flavors of red berry fruit (strawberry and raspberry), bell pepper, gravel, and chili to the wine. 

Now, in case you’re curious about the other wines made by Antinori, here’s some insight into it:

Other Tuscan Wines from Marchese Antinori Estate

Besides Solaia and Tignanello, the Antinori family produces a range of Tuscan blended reds in the limestone rich soils of the Chianti Classico region in Tuscany.

Their most famous Chianti Classico is Chianti Classico Riserva. This Tuscan wine is aged in conical oak tanks, which gives it savory spice flavors. It has no white grapes and is made of 80% Sangiovese with small quantities of other red varieties like Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah.

Second in popularity to Chianti Classico Riserva would be the Guado al Tasso wine from Bolgheri, Italy. Made from Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, this Tuscan wine is known for its ripe red fruit flavors, mellow tannins, and black currant notes.

Add An Exquisite Super Tuscan To Your Collection Now!

The iconic ruby red Tignanello is made for pure drinking pleasure! It’s age-worthiness also makes it a great addition to your cellar.  

And there’s no better way to buy these elegant wines than through a trusted partner like Vinovest. 

Vinovest is a world-class wine investment company that helps you buy the finest wines from across the globe - from Italy to Chile and the United States. You can buy, sell, authenticate, and build a wine portfolio from the comfort of your home!