# Villa Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva (2022)

- **Producer:** Marchesi Antinori
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah
- **Region:** Toscana, Italy
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.0%
- **Average price:** €25
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, raspberry, redcurrant, plum, mint, vanilla, cloves, cedar, chocolate, leather, tobacco, forest floor

## About this wine

Villa Antinori was originally conceived in 1928 by Marchese Niccolò Antinori as a Chianti Classico designed to mature and improve with age. With the opening of the state-of-the-art Antinori nel Chianti Classico winery in Bargino, the family reinterpreted this historic label into a premium Chianti Classico Riserva. It represents a benchmark of Tuscan winemaking, combining deep historical roots with contemporary elegance and structure. Grapes are sourced from prestigious estate vineyards, including Tenuta Tignanello and Badia a Passignano.

## Interesting facts

- First created in 1928 by Marchese Niccolò Antinori to showcase the aging potential of Chianti Classico.
- Sourced primarily from the historic and highly acclaimed vineyards of Tenuta Tignanello and Badia a Passignano.
- Aged for 18 months in a combination of traditional large oak casks and French and Hungarian oak barriques.

## Food pairing

The high acidity and firm, structured tannins of this Sangiovese-dominant blend require rich, savory dishes with ample protein and fat to soften the wine's structure. Classic Tuscan pairings featuring grilled red meats, game, and rich tomato-based pasta sauces harmonize beautifully with the wine's savory complexity and bright fruit profile.

## Wine making process

Grapes are destemmed and gently crushed before being transferred to stainless steel vats for fermentation at controlled temperatures of 28 to 30 degrees Celsius. Skin contact maceration lasts between 10 and 14 days to extract color and supple tannins. Sangiovese undergoes malolactic fermentation in stainless steel, while the complementary varieties complete this process in second- and third-fill French oak barriques. The wine is then blended and aged in a combination of large oak casks and barriques for approximately 18 months.