Villa Antinori Rosso 2012

Climate

A vintage characterized by scarce rainfall during the winter and the entire summer with the exception of April and the first days of May, a period in which precipitations guaranteed a normal growth and development of the vines. A hot summer led to an early harvest of the Merlot and Syrah grapes. The picking of the Sangiovese and the Cabernet Sauvignon, instead, began in late September and terminated in early October. The grapes were healthy and of excellent quality even if previsions before the harvest began had been less optimistic than usual.

Vinification

The grapes were destemmed and pressed, and the must went into temperature-controlled fermentation tanks. The fermentation began a day after pressing and lasted from five to seven days; skin contact, however, continued for an additional eight to twelve days Fermentation temperatures were kept to a maximum of 82° Fahrenheit (28° centigrade) for the Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon to favor an extraction of color and soft tannins. The Merlot and Syrah, instead, were fermented at maximum temperatures of 77° Fahrenheit (25° centigrade) to conserve as well as possible the aromas. The wine was put through a complete malolactic fermentation in October and November and then went into French, Hungarian, and American oak barrels, where it aged for twelve months. Bottling was followed by an additional eight month period of bottle aging before release.

Tasting Notes

Ruby red in color, the wine shows intense and complex aromas of ripe red fruit, sweet spices, dried fruit and nuts. Firm bodied on the palate, the wine is round with supple and velvety tannins. The finish and aftertaste are long and savory.

The Wine

Villa Antinori was first crafted in 1928 by Marchese Niccolò Antinori, Piero Antinori’s father, as the Antinori family’s signature wine; an exceptional wine that can represent the family’s history, identity and continuity like no other. “Villa Antinori is a full-blooded Tuscan red […] which grapes are grown, mature and are harvested from our Tuscan estates and then fermented and aged in the Antinori family estates.” Piero Antinori.

Climate

Mild winter weather and limited rainfall marked the beginning of the 2022 growing season. Budbreak got underway at the beginning of April, several days later than 2021, due to lower temperatures. The month of May brought heat and sunny skies with higher-than-average temperatures prompting rapid vine development and early flowering, which took place during the second half of the month. Hot and dry conditions persisted throughout the summer months and was only interrupted with occasional rain showers halfway through August, allowing the fruit to begin an optimal ripening phase. The grape harvest, very similar to 2021, began the second week of September with Merlot, continued with Syrah and Petit Verdot, Sangiovese and Cabernet were the last varieties to be picked completing the harvest by the end of September.

Vinification

Harvested grapes were destemmed, gently crushed, and then transferred to temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. Alcoholic fermentation was completed in 5-7 days. Temperatures during fermentation of Cabernet, Sangiovese and Petit Verdot never exceeded 28 °C (82 °F) coaxing the gentle extraction of color and supple tannins. Fermentation temperatures for Syrah and Merlot never exceeded 25 °C (77 °F) to preserve the grape varieties’ aromatic compounds. Maceration of the skins took place over a period of 8-12 days. Following malolactic fermentation, which took place in October and November for all grape varieties, the wine was then transferred to French and Hungarian oak barriques for aging. Villa Antinori was bottled starting in July 2024.

Historical Data

Tasting Notes

Villa Antinori 2022 is ruby red in color. The nose is intense and intriguing offering notes of red fruit, especially cherries and currants, together with hints of spices, vanilla and hazelnuts. The palate is mouth filling, pleasantly sapid with lively freshness and is defined by supple tannins. The wine closes with a persistent 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