Winemakers in Tuscany are enthusiastic about their 2001 wines--especially those whose vineyards are in the Chianti Classico area. The vintage was a good one, with yields reduced 15 to 20 percent due to spring frosts, although rain near harvest was a handicap. Despite the glitz associated with the 2000 vintage, and the success of that vintage in Bordeaux, Chianti--like Barolo--had a more successful year in 2001 than in 2000. Antinori's elite "Super Tuscan" Tignanello hails from the Chianti Classico district, and not surprisingly, the 2001 grandly lives up to expectations.
Tignanello is predominantly Sangiovese. In 2001, 10 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 5 percent Merlot supplement the wine's 85 percent Sangiovese. But Tignanello is so much more than a blend of certain grape varieties: it is an icon. The first Tignanello was born 30 years before this 2001, and upon its release in 1978, it sent a shock wave through the world of Italian wine. At a time when Bolla Soave reigned supreme, just before the onslaught of Pinot Grigio on the U.S. market, when Chianti had long lost whatever luster it ever had, Tignanello forced wine connoisseurs to take notice of Tuscany--and of Italy, for that matter. Tignanello is one of my favorite wines because it represented a turning point for my company and my region," Piero Antinori told me recently, with characteristic modesty.
I encountered the 2001 Tignanello on three occasions in the past month, and found it to be a bit of a chameleon, as young wines can be. Taste it quickly--at a walkaround tasting, for example--and you see its richness, its considerable weight, its thick texture and its ripeness. Linger with a glass, and you discover an amazing range of aromas and flavors, from dark fruits to espresso, black pepper, rosemary and brodo (a rich, meaty note suggestive of a long-simmered Italian stock). With time, you also notice a silkiness in the wine, which replaces the fine-grained tannin that dominated the wine's texture at first. It's as if the varietal identity of the wine shifts with air, from tightly fruity, inky and straightforward Cabernet to ethereal, graceful Sangiovese.
For all but the luckiest wine drinkers, the price of Tignanello relegates it to special-occasion status. For your special occasion, choose a large glass to give the wine plenty of air; I have enjoyed it most in a wide Burgundy glass. Don't let the wine be too cold: cold cellar temperature can impede your appreciation. Serve it with food that's fairly simple; a ragu Bolognese sauce can overwhelm the wine, but simple steak or chicken complements it. And then pay attention to the subtle notes--the depth, the harmony of the wine, the rich, endless finish.
If your special occasion occurs ten years from now, the wine will be all the more impressive.
Outstanding: 92
