2017 Villa Antinori Red Tuscany

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.

Climate: The vineyards entered the 2018 growing season with a slight delay as vine development began several days later than seasonal averages. Spring weather was marked by mild temperatures and frequent rainfall that helped the vines catch up to a normal pace and guaranteed good groundwater reserves for normal bloom and fruit set. The beginning of July throughout the end of August brought sunny weather with consistent temperatures that were never excessively high, followed by a period of light, occasional rain showers. September weather was relatively hot and dry. Grape harvest began right on schedule starting with Merlot and Syrah during the second half of September and Sangiovese at the beginning of October. Late-ripening varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, were picked the first week of October. This year’s harvest was average in terms of quantity but excellent in terms of maturity.