From table wine to symbol of prestige, passing through the recognition of IGT. Tignanello, born from the intuition of a great winemaker, turns 50.

A “Made in Tuscany” that becomes a symbol of “Made in Italy”. We are in the Italian wine Olympus, both for history and quality. We are faced with a product that was the forefather of a revolution in the world of Wine and that brings with it a turning point of creative liberation in relation to the production of Bacchus’ nectar: ​​a Family, Antinori , an absolute Master of Wine, Giacomo Tachis, a Myth, Tignanello .

This triptych represents one of the major watersheds in the world of Italian wine (and not only) and opens the doors to a new production concept freed, for the first time, from the dictates and specifications imposed for the creation of a drink that, together with food, represents one of the best-known symbols of the Bel Paese.

Tignanello: the birth of a myth

In the 1960s, the collaboration began, which later became a forty-year friendship, between Tachis and the Marquis Piero Antinori, initiating a project that is today recognized as the first fundamental step in the relaunch and rebirth of Italian wine : the intuition of the great winemaker was linked to the belief that a vine of French origin such as Cabernet Sauvignon, combined with Sangiovese left to rest for months in barriques, could give life to a product of the highest quality.

And so it was. The results achieved not only began to fascinate important national audiences, but also a new vision of our wine and a greater oenological attention towards the country of Italy were born abroad. A risk that laid the foundations for pure freedom of expression and that gave life to what was defined in the 80s by the critic Robert Parker , the first “Supertuscan” , effectively exiting from the historical Chianti disciplinary.

A break with the norm, therefore, but a break that allows us to savour a forward-looking vision that lays the foundations for a change that frees the imagination and sensitivity of Italian wineries.

Tignanello is therefore a milestone in a revolution that has conveyed quality and prestige in the world of Italian wine and whose name is respected for what it has meant and still means today. Always awarded several times both nationally and internationally, as well as included several times in the Top 10 of the "Bible" of world rankings such as Wine Spectator, Tignanello was released on the market in 1974 (even if it was actually born in 1970) and is the first wine in history to take its name from the estate where the prestigious grapes suitable for its production grew, "Tenuta Tignanello" precisely: we are in San Casciano, Val di Pesa.

We were just mentioning, therefore, a creative liberation in production implemented for the first time in Tuscany by a Winery: well, it was a derailment desired by those that were the production tracks imposed by Bettino Ricasoli to produce Chianti Classico which included the presence of a small quantity of white grapes that the “duo” Tachis-Antinori decided to remove, at the same time placing Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc alongside Sangiovese. A myth was being born.

From “table wine” to symbol of prestige

The initial reticence of the wine world linked to this operation that went beyond the schemes foreseen in the specifications, did not allow Tignanello to take off immediately and indeed it was labeled for twenty years as "Table Wine" : only the birth of the IGT in 1994 freed it from this denomination. It can certainly be argued that the true soul of Tignanello lies in the perfect balance between the grapes that compose it and the territory in which it is born and represents a true oenological masterpiece that enchants the senses with its elegance and complexity, offering notes of ripe fruit, spices and a light toasted nuance that leaves room for a pleasant freshness and long persistence. Its sip reveals the authentic character of the Tuscan terroir and represents one of the most important moments of encounter between tradition and innovation.

Born of an unrivaled, timeless elegance, Tignanello has today become an Italian symbol of prestige and refinement that can never be tarnished and whose production, however limited, has made it even more precious. When we mention the terms “prestige” and “refinement”, we cannot help but make constant reference to the Antinori Marchesi family that has dedicated itself to viticulture for over six hundred years and twenty-six generations and that, thanks to the “Tignanello operation”, always with the greatest respect for the territory, has introduced a high level of experimentation by focusing on the density of the plants and on the pruning and selection practices of the Sangiovese, until obtaining grapes with a greater concentration, elegantly soft tannins and a fine complexity that with each passing minute in the glass becomes more and more unrivaled.

We have therefore reached the fiftieth anniversary of one of the most important pages in the world of Italian wine and all that remains is for us to raise our glasses to toast one of the milestones of Italian pride in the world: happy birthday Tignanello, happy birthday myth!!

Written by Carlo Attisano for mangiaebevi.it