# Villa Antinori Rosso (2020)

- **Producer:** Marchesi Antinori
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot
- **Region:** Toscana, Italy
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.0%
- **Average price:** €17
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, plum, blackberry, blackcurrant, redcurrant, black pepper, vanilla, cloves, chocolate, coffee, leather

## About this wine

Villa Antinori was first produced in the 1928 vintage by Marchese Niccolò Antinori as a Chianti Classico designed to age. In 2001, Piero Antinori made the historic decision to de-classify it to Toscana IGT, freeing the blend from restrictive DOCG laws and allowing the inclusion of international varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot sourced from the family's top estates. The iconic label features Villa del Cigliano, the family's ancestral home since 1546.

## Interesting facts

- First released in 1928, the historic front label design featuring Villa del Cigliano has remained virtually unchanged.
- In 2001, Piero Antinori de-classified the wine to Toscana IGT to escape restrictive DOCG blending laws.
- Niccolò Antinori famously defended the label's villa illustration by joking, 'The French have châteaux, but we have Villas!'

## Food pairing

The wine's vibrant acidity and structured tannins cut beautifully through rich, fatty meats and savory tomato-based sauces. Its medium-to-full body matches the weight of hearty pasta dishes and roasted meats, while the subtle oak spices complement earthy flavors like wild mushrooms and aged cheeses.

## Wine making process

Grapes are destemmed and gently crushed before fermenting in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Fermentation lasts 5 to 7 days, with temperatures kept under 28°C for Sangiovese and Cabernet to ensure gentle extraction, and under 25°C for Merlot and Syrah to preserve aromatics. Skin maceration lasts 8 to 12 days, followed by malolactic fermentation in autumn. The wine is aged in French and Hungarian oak barriques before bottling.