January 22, 2025
Tignanello 2021 - A modern benchmark

2021 Tignanello Release
“the 2021 has all the pedigree to become a modern benchmark for Tignanello and Italian wine more broadly.” - Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“Marchesi Antinori General Manager Renzo Cotarella tells me that 2021 is the best vintage he has ever overseen. Ever. He prefers it to recent classics like 2016 and 2010. There was frost in the spring, and the growing cycle was very long. This is something that most grapes, and especially Sangiovese, need in order to exhibit aromatic depth and flavor complexity. "This is an exceptional year," he says, citing the inner energy certainly exhibited by the wines from 2021.” - Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
We’ve managed to source a small parcel of Tignanello 2021 at a fantastic price—a wine that truly needs no introduction in fine wine circles. A pioneer in redefining Tuscan winemaking, Tignanello offers a perfect balance of tradition and innovation, delivering a wine that is both universally acclaimed and irresistibly captivating—a true masterpiece for any fine wine collection. Tignanello stands as a global icon, celebrated not only for its exceptional value compared to other legendary Super Tuscans like Sassicaia, Ornellaia, Solaia, and Masseto, but also for its unparalleled quality and elegance.
The 2021 vintage in Tuscany is celebrated as one of the finest in recent years, with many estates producing their best wines yet. At Antinori’s Tignanello estate, the year yielded a wine of remarkable finesse and balance. While spring frost slowed vine growth early on, the warm yet moderate growing season allowed for extended ripening and full tannin maturation. Tignanello 2021 reflects not only these optimal conditions but also the estate’s evolving winemaking philosophy, including gentler techniques in their state-of-the-art winery, refined oak usage, and a greater emphasis on Cabernet Franc. The result is a wine of exceptional elegance and depth, earning widespread critical acclaim.
The 2021 vintage solidifies Tignanello’s position as a benchmark for modern Italian winemaking, achieving an impressive 98 points from both the Wine Advocate and Vinous—its highest-rated vintage to date. Galloni highlights that “Antinori presented some of the most memorable wines I have ever tasted here. The 2021s capture all the pedigree of this great Chianti Classico vintage in their combination of vibrancy, aromatic intensity and fruit.”
We don’t think these bottles will hang around long, so don’t miss your chance to add this legendary vintage to your collection.
Photos from our visit to Antinori last year. The wine moves through the winery from top to bottom with gravity and the cellar is dug deep into a rock wall to provide natural cooling.
Tignanello 2021
98 Points | Vinous, Antonio Galloni
The 2021 Tignanello is every bit as impressive from bottle as it was from barrel and then just after bottling. Silky and polished, with exceptional finesse, the 2021 has all the pedigree to become a modern benchmark for Tignanello and Italian wine more broadly. Bright dark red fruit, blood orange, spice, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco all soar out of the glass, framed by a discreet touch of French oak that adds raciness. In some vintages, the elements are discernible. In 2021, it is the total harmony of the wine that makes the strongest and deepest impression. The 2021 spent 17 months in wood, three months in neutral oak during the malolactic fermentation and then 14 months (50% new) for the rest of its aging. Superb.
98 Points | Wine Advocate, Monica Larner
First made in 1971, this legendary Italian wine now celebrates its 50th birthday. Happy Birthday, Tignanello! The Marchesi Antinori 2021 Tignanello (made with 79% Sangiovese, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Cabernet Franc) pulls on all the heartstrings. To be released in May, the wine shows a quintessentially pretty taste profile with tart fruit flavors, redcurrant, tea leaf, heritage rose, crushed white pepper, licorice, nutmeg, clove and chopped mint. It opens slowly to reveal more richness and exuberance with time, becoming downright voluptuous and heady a short while later. The through line, however, remains the bright freshness and minerality of Sangiovese. Compared to the 2018 vintage (which I also loved), this vintage has more overall fruit weight and volume.