On Monday 10 September, at the historic Villa Antinori Cigliano, Marchese Piero Antinori announced the addition of three new Chianti Classico Gran Selezione wines to the Antinori range.
‘When you speak of Chianti Classico it is music to my ears,’ he said. ‘Chianti Classico is part of the DNA of the Antinori family and the company. Sixty years ago, when I took over the handling of the company, Chianti Classico was the most important wine we made.’
‘We later became seen as protagonists of the SuperTuscans but in reality, and now more than ever, we are attached to Chianti Classico.’
Four wines were tasted: Badia a Passignano Chianti Classico Gran Selezione from the San Donato in Poggio UGA (released in July 2024), and three new wines yet to be launched on to the market:
Buiano Chianti Classico Gran Selezione from the Castellina UGA
Villa del Cigliano Chianti Classico Gran Selezione from the San Casciano UGA
San Sano Chianti Classico Gran Selezione from the Gaiole UGA.
It is expected that the new wines will be launched together in the next six months, at an estimated retail price of €100 -€150.
The Gran Selezione classification, introduced in 2014 as a step above Chianti Classico Riserva, stipulates that all grapes must be grown by the estate. The introduction of 11 sub-zones or Additional Geographic Units (Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive (UGA) in July 2023 adds to the quality hierarchy. Gran Selezione wines with a UGA on the label must be sourced exclusively from the named UGA.
These wines originate from four distinct sites. Antinori’s CEO, Renzo Cotarella and his team have customized the winemaking process for each wine, utilizing a unique approach for every site. ‘We wanted to express and underline the differences of the individual vineyard sites we have in Chianti Classico,’ Cotarella remarked. ‘The objective was to craft a wine from a 100% Sangiovese that reflects the identity of the place.’
Marchesi Antinori is among the select enterprises owning vineyards in various sub-zones of Chianti Classico, enabling the wines to represent different UGA. Currently, the production volumes of these wines are limited to 5,000-6,000 bottles each, with aspirations to increase to 20,000 bottles per wine in the future.
The Antinori family was at the forefront of the Tuscan wine renaissance beginning in the early 1970s. Their significant contributions to the enhancement of Italian wine are noteworthy, making it apt for them to lead the advancement into the future by focusing on wines characterized by purity and finesse and a profound sense of place.
‘It is almost a duty to produce our best Chianti Classico and to release these Gran Selezione [wines] as an expression of the individual identity of the terroir of our vineyards,’ concluded Cotarella. Marchese Piero quickly added: ‘It’s a duty but also a privilege to own such special vineyards.’