93 points - "This is very refined, with lots of sangiovese character, showing sour cherries, peaches, and bark, as well as pine needles. Medium-bodied and deliciously attractive. Fine tannins at the end." - JamesSuckling.com

92 points - "The 2021 Chianti Classico Riserva Villa Antinori is laced with black cherry, plum, new leather, licorice and spice. Ample and expansive in feel, the 2021 is wonderfully generous, not to mention incredibly delicious. Fruit sources are from some of the most coveted sites in the appellation." - Antonio Galloni (Vinous)

Classification
DOCG Riserva

Vintage
2021 in Chianti Classico began with mild winter temperatures and was accompanied by rain showers up until the end of March. Spring started off with favorable conditions that prompted early bud break; however, cool, dry weather in April slowed down vine growth and development. May and June followed normal weather patterns, temperatures were never excessive, and occasional rainfall guaranteed optimal flowering and fruit set.

Summer was hot and dry, especially during August, but towards the end of the month, occasional rainfall provided ideal conditions for the vines to begin the ripening phase. September and October were picture-perfect: sunny skies, no extreme temperatures, refreshing breezes, and cool nighttime temperatures that allowed perfectly healthy grapes to ripen in optimal conditions. Expectations are high for an excellent vintage. The grape harvest began during the last half of September with Sangiovese and was completed the second week of October with the complementary varieties.

Vinification
Freshly harvested grapes were destemmed and gently crushed, then transferred into stainless steel vats where alcoholic fermentation took place at a controlled temperature of 28–30 °C (82–86 °F). Maceration on the skins lasted for approximately 10–14 days using controlled automated techniques to gently extract aromas, structure, and supple tannins.

Sangiovese underwent malolactic fermentation in stainless steel vats, while several lots of the other grape varieties went into second and third-fill barriques. The various lots were blended and continued to age in oak—predominantly in larger format barrels and a smaller percentage in barriques—up until the end of spring 2023. Bottling began in the month of July 2023.

Historical Data
Villa Antinori is, first and foremost, an idea—a way of conceiving the production of wine: on the one hand, experimentation and evolution; on the other hand, continuity in tradition. Sangiovese and other complementary grape varieties render their homage to a historic label and a wine with a long tradition. This name, in fact, is almost one hundred years old, as the wine was produced for the first time in the 1928 vintage.

With the inauguration of the Antinori Chianti Classico cellars, the family wished to reinterpret a Tuscan classic with a Riserva offering that is both delicate and, at the same time, elegant and decisive in flavor.

Tasting Notes
Villa Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva 2021 is ruby red in color. The nose opens with fresh notes of pomegranates, cherries, and orange peels, accompanied by light spicy hints of ginger. Floral undertones complete the bouquet with accents of lavender, rose petals, and delicate balsamic notes of white musk. A vertical entry on the palate leads to a savory and flavorful structure, while supple tannins accompany an intense and expansive finish with warm notes of cocoa.