Villa Antinori Rosso 2015

Climate

The 2015 vintage was characterized by a mild winter with occasional but abundant rainfall; springtime, warm and without any return of lower temperatures, assisted the vines in a regular growth thanks as well to the reserves of ground water accumulated during the winter. The summer season, warm and dry, favored a gradual but balanced period of ripening, and the grapes, at harvest time, showed not only a proper sugar content but excellent structuring and aromatic elements as well. The picking began with the Merlot and Syrah during the first week of September and continued in mid-September with the Petit Verdot, Sangiovese and Cabernet.

Vinification

The grapes were given a soft destemming and pressing and the must then went into temperature-controlled fermentation tanks where it first fermented for five to seven days and then remained on its skins for a further eight to twelve day period. The fermentation of the Cabernet, Sangiovese, and Petit Verdot grapes never exceeded 82° Fahrenheit (28° centigrade) to favor the extraction of color and soft tannins. In the case of the Syrah and Merlot, temperatures remained at 77° Fahrenheit (25° centigrade) to best conserve aroma. The wine was put through a complete malolactic fermentation during the months of October and November, and it then went into small barrels coopered from French, Hungarian, and American oak, where it aged for approximately a year.

Tasting Notes

Villa Antinori shows an intense ruby red color, and its nose is a complex one: there is red fruit, cherries and plums along with berry fruit and mint, well balanced with the sensations of spices and vanilla from the oak barrels. The palate is round and is endowed with supple and velvety tannins as well as a long and savory finish and aftertaste.

Awards

James Suckling 93/100 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.

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