Villa Antinori Rosso 2016
Climate
From the meteorological point of view, the 2016 vintage was characterized by a spring with frequent rainfall which slowed slightly certain phases of the growth and development of the vines, particularly the flowering. This delay was easily recovered thanks to an excellent summer season, which assisted a balanced growth of the plants: the positive temperature swings from daytime heat to evening and nighttime coolness, above all towards the end of the month August, guaranteed a high-quality ripening. The Merlot harvest began in early September and the picking then continued with the Syrah, Petit Verdot, Sangiovese, and Cabernet.
Vinification
The harvested grapes were destemmed and given a soft pressing, and the must and skins then went into stainless steel fermentation tanks. The fermentation began the day after pressing and lasted from five to seven days, while the additional period of skin contact was a bit longer, from eight to twelve days. The fermentation temperatures did not exceed 82° Fahrenheit (28° centigrade) for the Cabernet, Sangiovese, and Petit Verdot, favoring in this way the extraction solely of color and soft tannins. In the case of the Merlot and Syrah the temperatures were held to a maximum of 79° Fahrenheit (25° centigrade) to better conserve aromatic components. After the malolactic fermentation, which took place in October and November, the wine went into 60 gallon French, Hungarian, and American oak barrels where it aged for approximately a year. Villa Antinori 2016 was bottled from the month of July 2018 on.
Tasting Notes
The 2016 Villa Antinori offers a deep ruby red in color. The nose is intense and complex, characterized by notes of red fruit coupled with hints of leather, spice, and vanilla. The palate is full bodied and round with supple and velvety tannins together with much length and savor.
Awards
James Suckling 91/100 USA
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.
The History
Back in 1928, Niccolò Antinori decided to christen this wine Villa Antinori, in honor of the family’s eponymous villa; it was a reflection of his own personal interpretation of Chianti Classico’s and Tuscany’s unique identity.
The Style
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.
The design
The label’s design represents our concept of home, our territory and Tuscany. “The French have châteaux, but we have Villas!” Niccolò Antinori cheerfully explained his choice for the illustration on the front label, an innovative design that broke with more traditional packaging conventions of that time.
Villa del Cigliano
Villa del Cigliano, located in the gently rolling hillsides of San Casciano Val di Pesa, in the province of Florence, has always been a symbol of strong family relationships; the villa has watched over the lives of generations of Antinori family members since 1546, the year Alessandro di Niccolò Antinori became the owner of the property.
Climate
The 2024 growing season began with a generally mild and rainy autumn and winter, conditions that favored regular budbreak in April together with early flowering and fruit set. The summer period was characterized by generally warm and dry weather from mid-July through the last week of August. This phase was followed by rainfall and temperatures below seasonal averages; these conditions provided relief to the vines, favoring the completion of ripening and resulting in grapes with lower sugar levels than average and a complex aromatic profile. The grape harvest, earlier than in 2023, began in early September with Merlot, continued with Sangiovese and was completed with Cabernet during the first ten days of October.
Vinification
Harvested grapes were destemmed, gently crushed, and then transferred to temperature-controlled tanks. Alcoholic fermentation took place at a controlled temperature of 25-26 °C (77-79 °F) and was completed in approximately one week. Maceration of the skins continued for an additional 10 days and was managed through careful pump-overs, favoring the extraction of color and supple tannins while preserving aromatic compounds. Following malolactic fermentation, completed by November for all grape varieties, the wine was transferred to French and Hungarian oak barriques where it began its aging period. Villa Antinori was bottled starting at the end of April 2026.
Historical Data
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.
Tasting Notes
Villa Antinori 2024 is ruby red in color. Intense notes of black cherry and blood orange are accompanied by delicate hints of green pepper, boxwood and pleasant sensations of toasted oak and tobacco. The palate is soft and enveloping, supported by pleasant freshness and supple, sweet tannins that lead to a long and 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.
Antinori Estates
Estates in Italy
