Antinori Tignanello Toscana 2023

Marchesi Antinori makes Tignanello, one of the wines that launched the Super Tuscan movement in the 1960s by setting itself apart from the rules of the day. It is led by Sangiovese with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, released as IGT Toscana rather than under a DOC, a deliberate break from convention. The fruit comes from the Tignanello estate in the Tuscan hills, where the elevation and cooler nights preserve the acidity and tannin in the Sangiovese while the warmer sites ripen the Cabernet varieties, the two combining for structure and depth. The wine is aged fifteen months in barrel, where slow oxygen exchange through the oak integrates the firm tannin and adds a savoury, cedar-and-spice frame to the fruit. The colour is a deep ruby. The nose shows dark cherry and plum with tobacco, cocoa and oak spice over an earthy, herbal base. The palate is full bodied at 13.5 percent, with firm, fine-grained tannin, fresh acidity and a long, structured finish. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees, decanted an hour or two ahead, in a large glass. It suits roast and grilled red meats.