Villa Antinori Bianco 2020

The Wine

A traditional white wine produced in 1931 by Marchese Niccolò Antinori. Villa Antinori Bianco IGT Toscana is a fine expression of the Tuscan territory by blending traditional white grapes with other varieties. The bouquet is fresh and elegant but with a marked character.

The Wine

Climate

The 2023 growing season will be remembered for wet weather beginning as early as bud break. Lower temperatures were recorded in the month of April that delayed vine growth. A significant number of rainy days affected the area in May and June resulting in a 5-to-10-day delay in flowering, depending on the grape variety and vineyard parcel. Hot and dry weather arrived in July and August reversing the initial delay and speeding up the growth cycle. The vines also benefitted from good groundwater reserves that ensured optimal cluster development. Timing of the grape harvest was similar to last year, the first variety to be picked was Pinot Grigio the final week of August, followed by Pinot Bianco and Riesling Renano around September 20th and was completed at the beginning of October with Trebbiano Toscano.

Vinification

Freshly harvested grapes were destemmed and delicately pressed. The must was chilled to a temperature of 10 °C (50 °F) to favor natural clarification. After 48 hours, the must was transferred to stainless steel tanks where alcoholic fermentation took place at a temperature that did not exceed 18 °C (64 °F). The wine was aged in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature of 10 °C (50 °F) up until bottling which took place starting in January 2024.

Historical Data

Villa Antinori Bianco is one of the historic wines of the Antinori family. It was produced for the first time by Niccolò Antinori in the 1931 vintage and since then the label has remained virtually unchanged, as has the production philosophy, oriented towards a full representation of the wine’s source, the place where its grapes are cultivated.

Tasting Notes

Villa Antinori Bianco is straw yellow with light green hues. The nose is intense and refined with dominant fruity notes of pineapples, Golden apples, and bananas that follow over to hints of orange blossoms. The palate is fresh, mouth-filling, pleasantly taut and closes with a mineral finish.

Villa Antinori

Villa Antinori was first of all an idea, a plan that envisioned the winemaking process: research and development on one side and historical heritage on the other. Villa Antinori is an important corner stone as its name is associated with over 100 years of history. At the same time it represents ongoing progress. The one essential principle is continuous research for increasingly higher quality standards. This idea produced two different wines that share a common passion for quality: Villa Antinori Rosso and Villa Antinori Bianco. Villa Antinori was originally produced in 1928 by Marchese Niccolò Antinori as a Chianti Classico that could age and that would improve over time. Soon after, Villa Antinori was found in the most prestigious cellars in embassies, royal houses, important hotels and restaurants. In 1931, Villa Antinori Bianco was made from traditional Trebbiano grapes. In the 1980’s a small percentage of Chardonnay was added in order to give the wine better structure.

Ryder Cup Official Supplier

The historical Villa Antinori wine has been chosen as the Official Wine Supplier for the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome, the world's greatest golf event. “Being a golfer myself, it's a source of great pride for me and my family to partner with the Ryder Cup for this very important sporting event. Being chosen to accompany the Ryder Cup along this journey with Villa Antinori, our most historical wine and a symbol of Tuscany and quality, perfectly pairs with the great history and significance of this event. Created just one year apart, both Villa Antinori and the Ryder Cup have been sharing the same values and excellence for almost 100 years.” Cit. Piero Antinori, Honorary President of Marchesi Antinori. Visit the website | rydercup.com