Antinori

Expert Reviews — Vintage 2024

Wine Enthusiast 92 Points | The nose brings aromas of vanilla bean, freshly brewed coffee, Bing cherry, and wild strawberry. Raspberries join more strawberries and cherries on the palate, but earthy undertones and chalky tannins ground things and create a substantial mouthfeel.

James Suckling 91 Points | A spicy wine with aromas of licorice, dried flowers, bright red cherries, violets, and blood oranges. Light-bodied, soft and extracted, with crisp acidity and a chalky finish.

Winemaker Description

Pèppoli 2024 is a bright ruby red. The nose is vibrant and expressive, offering fresh notes of cherries, raspberry jelly, and pomegranate juice with floral sensations of violets and geraniums. The palate is lively and dynamic: an energetic entry leads to a juicy, flavorful mid-palate followed by a long, savory finish characterized by soft, sweet tannins.

About Antinori & Pèppoli

The Antinori family has been committed to the art of winemaking for over six centuries, since 1385 when Giovanni di Piero Antinori became a member of the Florentine Winemakers’ Guild. The Pèppoli estate, located 5 kilometers northeast of the Tenuta Tignanello estate, spans 100 hectares in the heart of Chianti Classico DOCG. Its vineyards produce a Sangiovese-led blend celebrated for its full fruit expression, characteristic floral aromas, and faithful representation of the Chianti Classico territory.

Food Pairings

A natural companion for pasta with tomato-based sauces, grilled meats, roasted lamb, and aged Italian cheeses such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino.

About Santa Cristina

Produced by the historic Santa Cristina estate of the renowned Antinori family, this Cabernet Sauvignon highlights the richness and approachability of fruit grown in the warm vineyards of Tuscany. Established in 1946 near Cortona, Santa Cristina has long been known for crafting wines that combine Tuscan character with international grape varieties.

Tasting Notes — Vintage 2024

The 2024 vintage opens with expressive aromas of ripe blackcurrant, blackberry, and dark cherry, complemented by notes of violet, sweet spice, and a touch of cocoa. On the palate, smooth and medium-to-full bodied with soft tannins supporting flavors of black fruit, subtle herbs, and gentle oak spice. The finish is round and approachable — enjoyable on its own or at the table.

Food Pairings

Versatile and food-friendly — pairs beautifully with grilled meats, pasta with rich sauces, roasted vegetables, and aged cheeses.

Product Details

• Producer: Antinori / Santa Cristina
• Region: Toscana IGT, Tuscany, Italy
• Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon
• Vintage: 2024
• Style: Medium-to-full bodied, fruit-forward Tuscan Cabernet
• Format: 750ml

Antinori Il Bruciato Tenuta Guado al Tasso — Bolgheri 2024

The Antinori family has been making wine in Tuscany for over 600 years, and Tenuta Guado al Tasso is their crown jewel on the Bolgheri coast — situated near the birthplace of the Super Tuscan movement, where the moderating influence of the Tyrrhenian Sea produces wines of remarkable freshness, structure, and Mediterranean character. Il Bruciato is the estate’s second wine: a Cabernet Sauvignon-led Bordeaux blend that delivers the elegance and complexity of the appellation at an approachable price point. One of Italy’s most consistent and beloved Super Tuscans, and an outstanding value from one of Tuscany’s greatest estates.

The 2024 vintage shows an intense, deep ruby color. The nose is expressive and detailed: ripe blackberry, dark cherry, cassis, wildflowers, thyme, sweet spice, and a lifted hint of liquorice. On the palate, it is medium to full-bodied with polished tannins, a rounded chocolate-tinged texture, fresh coastal acidity, and a long, savory, fruit-driven finish with umami depth. Approachable now, with the structure to develop further over 3–5 years.

Jeb Dunnuck 91 — “Expressive and detailed, with aromas of wildflowers, thyme, ripe cherry, and subtle gamey earthiness. Rounded, chocolate-tinged texture balanced by refreshing acidity. Polished and approachable.”

Wine Advocate 90 — “Ripe, chewy darkness with thick flavors of plummy fruit, blackberry and a savory note reminiscent of tomatoes on the vine. Soft in texture with a medium- to full-bodied mouthfeel and a gentle dustiness from fully-integrated tannins.”

67 Wine — “Il Bruciato is the benchmark entry into the world of Bolgheri — the elegance and complexity of a great Super Tuscan estate at a price that makes it an everyday pleasure.”

• Producer: Marchesi Antinori, Tenuta Guado al Tasso, Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Bolgheri DOC
• Blend: 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc, 18% Merlot, 8% Syrah, 7% Petit Verdot
• Style: Super Tuscan
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Blackberry, dark cherry, cassis, wildflowers, thyme, sweet spice, liquorice, chocolate, savory umami finish
• Cellar Potential: Drink now or cellar 3–5 years
• Serve: 64–68°F
• Best Paired With: Bistecca alla Fiorentina, lamb chops, wild boar ragù, aged Pecorino, hearty pasta

Six centuries of Antinori mastery, one exceptional Bolgheri estate — Il Bruciato is the Super Tuscan that belongs on every table.

One of Tuscany's most iconic white blends — fresh, mineral, and unchanged since 1931.

Villa Antinori Bianco is not a new idea. Niccolò Antinori first produced it in 1931, and the label has barely changed since. That kind of consistency is rare in wine, and it speaks to something important: this is a wine that has always known exactly what it wants to be. Bright, food-friendly, and unmistakably Tuscan.

The 2024 vintage brings together Trebbiano Toscano, Malvasia, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, and Riesling — a classic Tuscan white blend that balances aromatic lift with crisp acidity. The nose opens with orange blossom, pineapple, golden apple, and citrus zest. On the palate it's fresh and pleasantly tense, with a mouth-filling texture and a clean mineral finish that keeps you coming back for another sip.

Sealed with a screwcap for freshness and convenience — pop it open straight from the fridge and pour freely. This is the white wine for long lunches, seafood dinners, and warm evenings on the terrace.

Winery: Marchesi Antinori | Blend: Trebbiano, Malvasia, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling | Vintage: 2024 | Appellation: Toscana IGT, Tuscany, Italy | Size: 750ml

• Style: Dry, fresh, medium-bodied white blend
• Flavor Profile: Orange blossom, pineapple, golden apple, citrus, mineral finish
• Closure: Screwcap
• Pairing: Seafood, grilled fish, light pasta, soft cheeses, antipasti
• Serve: 46–50°F | Ready to drink upon release
• History: First produced in 1931 — one of Italy's most enduring white wine labels

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

James Suckling 95 Points | A youthful wine full of fruit, showing intense fresh roses, black cherries and plums. The generous nose is supported by a lush, supple palate with medium body. Velvety tannins with a chalkier finish and refreshing length. 

The Wine Spectator 92 Points | Full of savory, umami flavors, this red evokes earth, leather, sweet spice, cherry, plum and Szechuan peppercorn notes. Firm and dry, with broad tannins and a lingering kernel of cherry. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2027 through 2040. 

Winemaker Description - Vintage 2022 

Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva 2022 is intensely ruby red in color. Impressive on the nose with intense notes of black cherries, delicate floral hints of violets and rose petals that lead over to notes of vanilla and cocoa powder. Entry on the palate is mouth filling and lively then unfolds with great balance revealing supple vibrant tannins that accompany and sustain a long, sapid and persistent finish.

Few names carry more weight in Tuscan wine than Antinori. With over six centuries of winemaking history, the family has shaped the identity of Chianti Classico as much as any single producer — and the Villa Antinori Riserva is their benchmark expression of the appellation: a wine that balances tradition with refinement, vintage after vintage.

The Villa Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva 2022 is ruby red in the glass, with a nose that opens on fresh pomegranate, cherry, and orange peel, layered with ginger spice, lavender, rose petals, and delicate balsamic notes of white musk. On the palate, the entry is vertical and precise, building to a savory, full-flavored structure supported by supple tannins and a long, warm finish of cocoa and dark fruit. The 2022 vintage brings exceptional balance — ripe, elegant, and built to age.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

Kerin O'Keefe — 95 Points: "Elegantly structured and loaded with finesse, the 2022 Chianti Classico Riserva from Antinori pushes all the right buttons, starting with its enticing aromas of ripe black-skinned fruit, violet, exotic dark spice and a whiff of Mediterranean scrub. On the delicious palate, notes of licorice, vanilla and crushed mint accent a ripe black cherry core while velvety tannins provide seamless support and plenty of finesse. It's well balanced, with fresh acidity. Drink through 2030." (05/25)

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Pomegranate, cherry, orange peel, ginger, lavender, rose petals, white musk
• Palate: Savory and full-flavored with supple tannins, black cherry, licorice, and crushed mint
• Finish: Long, warm, and expansive with cocoa notes

Wine Details

• Sangiovese-based blend
• Chianti Classico DOCG Riserva, Tuscany, Italy
• Vintage: 2022 | Drink through 2030
• 750ml

Bramito Della Sala Chardonnay — Castello della Sala, Umbria, Italy 2024

Castello della Sala is one of Italy's most storied white wine estates — a magnificent medieval fortress set in the hills of Umbria, just 18 kilometers from Orvieto, where the Antinori family has spent decades proving that Italy can produce world-class Chardonnay. Bramito Della Sala is the estate's benchmark white: a pure, elegant expression of Chardonnay grown on the estate's high-altitude vineyards, fermented in stainless steel to preserve freshness and precision. Wine Enthusiast awarded the 2024 vintage 93 points, praising its perfect balance between richness and restraint. At $25.99, it is one of the most exciting values in Italian white wine.

The nose is inviting and complex: baked apple, hazelnut brittle, crème fraîche, and wet stones. On the palate, generous fruit meets mineral tension in a seamless, structured mid-palate, leading to a refreshing, tart finish that is clean and long. This is Chardonnay that finds the rare sweet spot between Old World restraint and New World generosity — and it delivers every time.

Wine Enthusiast 93 — "Baked apples and hazelnut brittle weave through notes of crème fraîche and wet stones. The palate delivers substance with style, where generous fruit meets mineral tension and a refreshing tart finish. Here’s Chardonnay finding perfect balance between richness and restraint." (Vintage 2024).

• Producer: Castello della Sala (Antinori), Umbria, Italy
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Umbria IGT
• Varietal: Chardonnay
• Vinification: Stainless steel fermentation
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Baked apple, hazelnut, crème fraîche, wet stone, mineral tension, tart finish
• Best Paired With: Grilled fish, lobster, roast chicken, risotto, soft cheeses, pasta with cream sauce

A 93-point Umbrian Chardonnay at an honest price — Bramito Della Sala is the benchmark for what Castello della Sala and Italian white wine can be.

The Icon of Super Tuscans — Tignanello at Its Finest

Few wines in the world carry the legacy and prestige of Tignanello. Created by Marchese Antinori in 1971, it was the wine that rewrote the rules of Italian winemaking — the first Sangiovese-based wine to be aged in small French oak barriques, and the first to blend Sangiovese with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The 2022 vintage is a stunning expression of this storied wine: concentrated and velvety, yet precise and energetic, with the hallmark Tignanello tension that rewards both immediate pleasure and long cellaring.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

• Wine Advocate — 97 pts: "Rich and fruit-forward, the 2022 Tignanello very much respects the vintage. It delivers extra fruit weight with a velvety, satiny feel over a generous mouthfeel. Blackcurrant and cherry, with a mineral note that keeps things focused. A beautiful expression of the vintage, with excellent work done to execute soft tannins, texture and length."
• James Suckling — 96 pts: "There's extraordinary energy in this wine. A dark nose of black cherries, bramble fruit, violets, forest, licorice, bark, carob and leather. Density and tension dominate the full-bodied palate, with firm, velvety tannins. Crunchy and full of potential."
• Vinous — 95 pts: "Such an elegant, poised wine. Brisk acids cut through a core of red Sangiovese fruit. Crushed flowers, mint, cinnamon, rose petal and a kiss of French oak appear later, adding notable brightness. All the elements are very nicely balanced throughout."
• Decanter — 95 pts: "Succulent palate of good intensity. Well balanced and bright, with cashmere tannins supporting a core of sapid hedgerow berries outlined by crushed rock minerality and bitter herbs."
• Wine Spectator — 94 pts: "Rich texture wraps around plum, cherry, graphite, tobacco and earth flavors, with a line of dusty tannins underneath. Fresh, elegant and long. Best from 2027 through 2040."

Winemaker Notes

Marchese Antinori Tignanello Toscana 2022 750ml

The 2022 Tignanello is a blend of 78% Sangiovese, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4% Cabernet Franc, sourced exclusively from the Tignanello estate vineyard in the Antinori hills. The wine is aged in French oak barriques for approximately 12 months, followed by further bottle aging before release. The result is a wine of extraordinary depth and elegance — dark fruit, floral lift, mineral precision, and the long, structured finish that has made Tignanello one of Italy's most collectible wines.

Vineyard & Provenance

• Grape: Sangiovese (78%), Cabernet Sauvignon (18%), Cabernet Franc (4%)
• Appellation: Toscana IGT, Tuscany
• Producer: Marchese Antinori
• Vintage: 2022
• Aging: French oak barriques, ~12 months
• Size: 750ml

Food Pairings

A wine built for the table — exceptional with bistecca alla Fiorentina, braised lamb, wild boar ragù, aged Pecorino, truffle risotto, and slow-roasted beef.

From one of Italy’s most storied wine dynasties, the Antinori family has been crafting wine in Tuscany for over six centuries. Santa Cristina Chianti Superiore is a benchmark expression of the appellation — deeply rooted in Tuscan tradition, with soft, velvety tannins and a refreshing, food-friendly palate that makes it one of the most versatile Italian reds at this price point.

The 2023 vintage pours ruby red with purplish highlights. The nose is rich with morello cherry, aromatic herbs, and balsamic notes. On the palate it is soft and mouth-filling, with velvety tannins and a long, savory finish.

Food Pairings: Pasta with tomato-based sauces, pizza, grilled meats, aged pecorino, and charcuterie boards.

Varietal: Sangiovese-based blend
Style: Chianti Superiore DOCG
Producer: Marchesi Antinori
Region: Tuscany, Italy
Vintage: 2023
Bottle Size: 750ml

Winemaker Description

The 2020 Guado al Tasso is an intense ruby red in color. The nose offers notes of small dark fruit with sweet spice and toasted oak. On the palate, pure flavors and refined tannins lead to a persistent finish. This wine can be enjoyed immediately, but also has great aging potential. 

Expert Reviews

96 Points Robert Parker | The Marchesi Antinori 2020 Bolgheri Superiore Guado al Tasso sees Cabernet Franc at over 30% of the blend in this vintage, with the rest going to Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% to 20% to Merlot. Matarocchio was not produced this year, and this wine benefits from the extra Cabernet Franc as a result. The 2019 and 2021 vintages of Guado al Tasso are quite concentrated and rich, whereas 2020 is leaner in texture, along the lines of the edition we saw made in 2010. There was rain in September. Managing Director Renzo Cotarella says he would not describe 2020 as a hot vintage because the rain did pose challenges at the end of the growing season. In Bolgheri on the Tuscan coast, budbreak is earlier than in other appellations, and the growing season is longer as a result. This is a benefit to the international varieties used here. The wine shows nice richness and intensity. The Cabernet Franc definitely comes through and adds the characteristic vertical lift and linearity that the grape is known for. You get black fruit, spice, white pepper and no signs of bitter stems or bramble. Sweet, almost milky tannins are interlocked with fresh acidity to give this wine good cellaring potential. The new oak was dialed back a bit in this vintage.

96 Points Wine Enthusiast | The nose is rich with notes of blackberries, black cherry and soil, while a white pepper undertone provides pop. On the supple, warm palate, berries continue leading the way, before a salty, chocolaty finish with another kick of pepper. Stoic tannins are balanced by lively, persistent acidity.

95 Points James Suckling | Aromas of black olives, berries, herbs, red beans, sour cherries, and sage follow through to a full body, with chewy tannins and plenty of structure. It’s flavorful and intense. Needs time to come together. Best after 2027.

95 Points Wine Spectator | Packed with exuberant blackberry, black currant and blueberry fruit, this red shows the expressive character of the vintage. Just when you think it's too flamboyant, the solid structure reins it in. Shows excellent balance and length, with a touch of lavender and wild herbs on the lingering finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2040.

98 James Suckling: This has a complex array of blackberries, black cherries, cocoa, dried herbs, slate, tobacco, olives and charred bark. Some dried roses and iodine, too. Medium-to full-bodied with firm yet refined tannins. Powerful, in an understated way. Long. 73% cabernet sauvignon, 7% cabernet franc and 20% sangiovese.

98 Wine Spectator: Youthful, featuring intense fresh black currant, blackberry and black cherry fruit wrapped in accents of cedar, Mediterranean scrub and toasty oak, with a mineral streak underlining everything. Shows a solid spine of tannins that lend support, while the dark fruit returns on the finish. Delivers terrific balance, vigor and excruciating length, yet this needs time in the bottle. Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc.

97 Decanter: Wonderful raspberry and black cherry fragrance on the nose, ripe and sweet and expressive, aromas bursting from the glass. Fleshy and sweet, sticky and full, this is giving a whole load of ripe, plush tannins and powerful fruit but underpinned by bright acidity that keeps things lifted and vibrant. A very serious wine, this is brooding and confident. It's showcasing lots of elements right now - ample, generous, hefty and stylish with flecks of red flowers, white pepper spice, ground coffee, herbs and chocolate.

The 2019 Solaia is fabulous. Deep and exquisitely layered, the 2019 is so expressive right out of the gate. Succulent dark cherry, plum, licorice, incense, pipe tobacco, chocolate, and grilled herbs all take shape. Here, too, the aromatics are alluring. Cabernet Franc is bumped up a bit in teh blend, and that works so well here. Solaia is often a bombastic, intense wine. The 2019 is incredibly refined and ubttoned up. The 2019 Solaia is the sort of wine I would like to spend a whole evening with. Aging was 18 months in 100% new French oak.

Winemaker Description

The 2019 vintage Solaia is deep ruby red in color. The nose offers complex notes of red fruit, apricots and red oranges with hints of rose petals. Distinct aromas of coffee beans, chocolate, licorice and white pepper complete the rich bouquet of this red wine. On the palate, the wine is enveloping and harmonious with excellent balance and structure. Vibrant tannins lead into an exceptionally long finish. 

Blend: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Franc

Tenuta Guado al Tasso is one of the crown jewels of the Antinori portfolio — a 320-hectare estate in the prestigious Bolgheri DOC on the Tuscan coast, set within the distinctive "Bolgheri Amphitheater" of rolling hills and cooled by constant sea breezes from the Tyrrhenian coast. Cont'Ugo is the estate's singular statement on Merlot: a wine produced entirely from this variety as a new interpretation of the Bolgheri territory, sourced from vineyards at 45–60 meters elevation on clay-loam alluvial soils that deliver deep, complex notes while preserving the fragrance and freshness that Merlot does best.

The Antinori Guado al Tasso Cont'Ugo Bolgheri Rosso 2023 750ml is 100% Merlot, sourced from vineyards across the northern, central, and southern zones of the Bolgheri appellation. Deep, inky red in the glass, it opens with an aromatic and inviting bouquet of crushed lavender, plum compote, blackberry, sweet earth, mint, and fresh herbs. On the palate it is full-bodied, supple, and rounded, with velvety tannins, a balanced core of acidity, and pristine, clean fruit that carries seamlessly from entry through the finish. Polished, expressive, and built to drink beautifully from 2026 through 2035.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023

• Wine Enthusiast — 94 Points: "Peppery and earthy with tart blackberries over damp soil and graphite. Layers of sweet dark berries and dark chocolate create a sleek, acrobatic wine."
• Jeb Dunnuck — 93 Points: "Aromatic and inviting with crushed lavender, plum compote, blackberry, sweet earth, mint, and fresh herbs. Full-bodied, supple, and rounded with velvety tannins. Polished and expressive with good depth and length."
• Wine Spectator — 93 Points: "Rich, inviting and harmonious with black cherry, blackberry, plum, vanilla, toast and earth. Vibrant with dense tannins and an expansive finish. Best from 2026 through 2035."
• Wine Advocate — 92 Points: "Soft, fleshy texture with black cherry and blackberry. Pristine and clean fruit sustaining the wine seamlessly from entry through the finish."

Wine Details

• 100% Merlot — Cont'Ugo single-variety expression
• Bolgheri DOC, Tuscany, Italy — clay-loam alluvial soils, 45–60m elevation
• Tenuta Guado al Tasso, Marchesi Antinori
• Vintage: 2023 | Drink 2026–2035 | 750ml

Antinori Santa Cristina Toscana Rosso — Tuscany 2023 750ml

Santa Cristina is the everyday Tuscan red from Marchesi Antinori — one of Italy’s oldest and most storied wine dynasties, with over 600 years of winemaking history in Florence. Blended from Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah, it is crafted to deliver the warmth, generosity, and food-friendliness of Tuscany in an approachable, everyday format. The 2023 vintage is vibrant and expressive — a wine that overdelivers at its price and earns its place on any Italian table.

Ruby red with violet hues. The nose is fruity and inviting: fresh cherry, blueberry, and currant meet delicate hints of vanilla and cocoa. On the palate, it is enveloping and supple — medium-bodied with flavors of red cherry, mint, blueberry, and black pepper, a light oak touch, and a smooth, fruit-forward finish that lingers pleasantly.

• Producer: Marchesi Antinori, Florence, Tuscany, Italy
• Vintage: 2023
• Appellation: Toscana IGT
• Blend: Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah
• Style: Medium-Bodied Red
• ABV: 13%
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Cherry, blueberry, currant, mint, black pepper, vanilla, cocoa, smooth finish
• Cellar Potential: Drink now
• Best Paired With: Roasted meats, cured meats, hard cheeses, Caesar salad, pizza, pasta al pomodoro

Six centuries of Tuscan winemaking in every bottle — Santa Cristina is Antinori’s gift to the everyday table.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021 

Antonio Galloni  of Vinous writes 100 Points |  2021 Solaia is another wine that captures all of the potential I sensed when I tasted it some months ago. More than anything else the 2021 is a fine example of the style Antinori favors these days an approach that favors finesse more than opulence. Dark plum mocha licorice chocolate spice lavender and menthol build effortlessly in the glass. Oak and tannin are impeccably balanced. The 2021 spent 18 months in wood three months in once-used barrels during the malolactic fermentation and then 15 months in 100% new barrels for the rest of its aging.

The Wine Spectator 98 Points | A deep, dense red, drenched with blackberry, pomegranate, plum and sweet spice flavors. Iron, tobacco and wild herb elements peek through as this plays out on the finish under a strong grip of tannins. Shows terrific balance and length now, yet this should only improve after a few more years in the bottle. Superb. Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2027 through 2047.

Decanter 97 Points | For me [2021 is] one of the best vintages ever,’ says Renzo Cotarella, Antinori's CEO and head winemaker, of the widely lauded vintage in Tuscany, explaining to me that it shares characteristics with 1997 and 2007, with a cool, frosty start slowing down vegetative growth and helping to extend the growing season, aided by milder temperatures later in the summer which enabled the grapes to build concentration while preserving freshness. Recent vintages of Solaia have benefitted from an increased use of Cabernet Franc, which stands at 9% in 2021. Due to be launched this autumn, Solaia 2021 is still a baby but its potential is immediately apparent. Inky and concentrated, with a dark chocolate barrique signature on the nose, it combines salinity with bountiful and sapid fruits, offering ripe black and red cherries, and dark hedgerow berries alongside herbal freshness, and finely textured tannins. Ferrous, meaty and earthy undertones emerge after some time in the glass, providing a counterpoint to the inherent sweetness of the fruit. Muscular yet wonderfully poised, this will only reveal all its complexities after significant ageing.

The Wine Advocate 97 Points | All said and done, the Marchesi Antinori 2021 Solaia is a monument to perfect winemaking. This coiffed supermodel does not show a single hair follicle out of place. However, it doesn't quite have the same sex appeal of the Tignanello. In my conversations with Estate Manager Renzo Cotarella during this tasting, it was expressed this way: "Tignanello is unexpected. Solaia is expected." Whereas Tignanello is a wine of vertical lift and energy, Solaia is a wine of lasting power. The wine offers generous depth and layering with soft tannins and some of the spicy pink peppercorn you get from the 9% Cabernet Franc (added to 77% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Sangiovese). The finish is extremely velvety and soft, but I notice that the flavors seem to become sweeter and riper the longer this wine stays in the glass. This newest release will hit the market in September. 

James Suckling 97 Points | This is a beautifully curated Solaia with blackcurrants and raspberries plus lavender and violet undertones. Graphite highlights it all. Just some new wood coming through. It’s full-bodied with fine velvety tannins that run the length of the wine, caressing the palate. Give this three or four years to come around.

Antinori Napa Valley Chardonnay A-26 Vineyard — Napa Valley 2022

The Antinori family has been making wine for over six centuries, and their Napa Valley project brings that same uncompromising pursuit of excellence to California’s most celebrated appellation. The A-26 Vineyard Chardonnay is sourced from a single estate block in Napa Valley, vinified to showcase the site’s natural tension between richness and precision. The 2022 vintage is a tour de force — earning 95 points from James Suckling and 94 from Wine Spectator — a Chardonnay of extraordinary balance, energy, and detail that drinks beautifully now and will reward cellaring through 2031.

The nose is bright and inviting: white nectarine, Meyer lemon, salted lemon, marzipan, raw almonds, dried flowers, honeysuckle, and toasted brioche. On the palate, it is medium to full-bodied, delicate and sleek — a wonderful tension between rich aromatics and a juicy thread of fresh Fuji apple, lemon curd, and caramelized pineapple, all framed by beautiful, energizing acidity. The finish is silky, long, and highly detailed.

James Suckling 95 — “Delicate and sleek with beautiful acidity that brings balance and energy. Silky and lingering.” (Vintage 2022).

Wine Spectator 94 — “What makes this wine memorable is the wonderful tension between rich aromatics and its sleek, juicy thread of fresh Fuji apple, lemon curd and caramelized pineapple. Long, expressive and highly detailed finish.” (Vintage 2022). 

• Producer: Antinori, Napa Valley, California, USA
• Vintage: 2022
• Appellation: Napa Valley AVA
• Vineyard: A-26 Estate Vineyard
• Varietal: Chardonnay
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: White nectarine, Meyer lemon, marzipan, honeysuckle, toasted brioche, Fuji apple, lemon curd, caramelized pineapple, silky finish
• Cellar Potential: Drink now through 2031
• Best Paired With: Lobster, roast halibut, truffle risotto, soft-ripened cheeses, roast chicken with cream sauce

Six centuries of Italian winemaking mastery, one exceptional Napa vineyard — Antinori’s A-26 Chardonnay is California through a Florentine lens.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2020 

James Suckling 98 Points | Subtle and beautiful on the nose with currants, flowers and light sage aromas that follow through to a full body with ultra-fine tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Extremely polished and poised.

The Wine Spectator 97 Points | Dripping with black currant, blackberry, black cherry, iron and toasty oak flavors, this red is suave and polished. Features flashes of tobacco and wild herbs that add even more detail as this builds to a long, kaleidoscopic finish. Presents civilized tannins that are well-integrated and provide structure. Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc.

The Wine Advocate 96 Points | Inky dark in appearance, the 2020 Solaia is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with smaller percentages of Cabernet Franc and Sangiovese. This vintage unfolds to exuberant richness and thick layers of blackberry and plum. The tannins are sweet and expertly crafted, adding both depth and fruit weight. The 2020 vintage is quite bold, and it plays its best cards in terms of texture and mouthfeel. It’s a bigger, more accessible wine compared to the last two vintages on the market. Spice, toasted coffee bean and more dark fruit color this full-bodied Tuscan red.