[Ayung Wine Cellar] Even Lee Kun-hee Was Captivated... The World's Longest-Lived Family Listed in Guinness

<40> Italy's Antinori

Tignanello, the Symbol of Super Tuscan... Lee Kun-hee's Wine

Acquisition of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Winner of the 'Judgment of Paris'

Editor's NoteThere is no such thing as an identical wine under the sky. Even when grapes grown on the same land are made and aged in the same way each year, the result is always different. Wine is a 'drink of chance,' created through the harmony of humanity and nature. Each wine, quietly disappearing after leaving just a single lasting memory, carries its own fascinating story. 'Ayung Wine Cellar' brings you the tales of wines that are made and matured under unique circumstances, one by one.

A family that has been making wine for over 600 years. The Antinori family, renowned for having the oldest continuous winemaking tradition in the world, was officially registered with the Florence Wine Guild in 1385 and has maintained its family business for 26 generations without a single interruption, earning a Guinness World Record.

The history of the Antinori family began in the 1180s, when they first started making wine in Florence, Italy. Originally a noble family from the rural outskirts of Florence, the Antinoris moved to the city and joined the influential Silk Guild in 1269, rapidly elevating their social and economic status. At that time, Florence was the center of the Renaissance era, which began in Italy and spread throughout Europe, and was ruled by the Medici family. The Antinori family expanded its influence in Florence by interacting with the Medici family.

Antinori Winery. Provided by AYOUNG FNC

'Bacchus of Tuscany' – Antinori Wines

The Antinori family expanded their reach from silk production and trade into finance and politics, producing about 40 barrels of wine annually at their Le Rose Estate winery in the Galluzzo area near Florence and selling it within the city until the 15th century. Their wine business began expanding across Europe in the mid-16th century. There is a record that when the army of the Holy Roman Empire, which then ruled Western and Central Europe, confiscated wine at the southern Italian port of Messina, the Antinori family asked Cosimo I de' Medici, the first Grand Duke of Tuscany and ruler of Florence, to help them recover the payment for the wine.

The Antinori family built its reputation as a 'brand wine' within the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Francesco Redi, a poet and official wine critic to the Grand Duke, once praised Antinori's wines in a comedic poem as the "Bacchus of Tuscany" (the Roman god of wine).

Letter from the Antinori family to Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany. Antinori official website.

Italy’s warm Mediterranean climate, with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers, makes it ideal for grape cultivation, and wine is produced throughout the country. The narrow, boot-shaped geography allows for diverse climates from the Alps in the north to Sicily in the south, enabling the cultivation of a wide range of grape varieties.

In particular, Tuscany, where Florence is located, is now called the 'mecca of wine' and produces some of Italy’s most representative wines. The 'Declaration of the Four Boundaries', announced by the Grand Duchy of Tuscany in 1716, greatly contributed to the development of the wine industry by officially designating, for the first time in history, the boundaries of the four major wine-producing regions: Chianti, Pomino, Carmignano, and Val d'Arno di Sopra. The largest of these is Chianti, situated between Florence and Siena, which is the birthplace of what is now known as 'Chianti Classico'.

The Symbol of Super Tuscan: 'Tignanello'

In 1850, the Antinori family incorporated vineyards and small farms in the Chianti Classico region into their family estate, creating the 'Tignanello Estate'—a winery now widely recognized in Korea as well.

This winery is located in the gently rolling hills between the Greve and Pesa river valleys in the heart of Chianti Classico. Its total area is 319 hectares, with about 165 hectares planted with vineyards. The vines grow in soils rich in limestone and schist, formed from marine marl in the Pliocene era 5.33 million years ago, enjoying warm daytime temperatures and cool evenings during the growing season.

The wine that brought Tignanello international fame was 'Tignanello', first produced in 1971. In 1963, the Italian government introduced a four-tier wine classification system—modeled after France’s AOC system—to protect wine quality and origin. The classes (DOCG, DOC, IGT, VDT) ranged from table wine (VDT) to the highest grade (DOCG) guaranteed by the Italian government. Strict rules required, for example, that Chianti wines blend in white grape varieties and prohibited the use of international varieties.

Antinori family's wine cellar. Provided by Ayoung FBC

However, some producers began to create bolder, more structured wines by using international grape varieties (such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) and new blending techniques, rather than following these regulations. The Antinori family also began reassessing their vineyards in 1961 by hiring wine expert Giacomo Tachis. At that time, vines were interplanted with other crops, but the family started planting rows of vines in specific plots. They also introduced temperature-controlled fermentation and used various sizes of oak barrels. Early harvesting of white grapes, the use of stainless steel tanks for temperature control, cold fermentation for white wines, and sterile bottling at low temperatures were all innovations from this era.

In 1968, the Antinori family’s relatives, the della Gherardesca, released 'Sassicaia' in the Bolgheri region of Tuscany. This wine, comparable in quality and price to the finest Bordeaux in France, became a sensation among wine enthusiasts worldwide and brought global attention to Italian wines. This marked the emergence of so-called 'Super Tuscan' wines—blends that broke traditional rules by mixing international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon with local grapes.

Representative wines of the Antinori family, such as Solaia and Tignanello, are displayed.

Tignanello is now called the "symbol of Super Tuscan." Its first vintage produced 20,000 bottles, and subsequent versions blended Italy’s native Sangiovese with the French Cabernet Sauvignon. The distinctive acidity of Sangiovese spread across the palate, creating a fresh taste, while the deep aroma of oak brought perfect balance. Tignanello is aged for about 13 months in French oak and a small amount of Hungarian oak, followed by 12 months of bottle aging before release.

Tignanello became widely known in Korea after the late Lee Kun-hee, former chairman of Samsung Electronics, personally gave it as a Chuseok gift to executives of major affiliates and close acquaintances in 2004.

Unlike Tignanello, which features a high proportion of Sangiovese, 'Solaia' has become very popular with a composition of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Sangiovese, and 15% Cabernet Franc. As the first Italian wine to top Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines list, Solaia was created by the Antinori family to prove that Italian wines could be the world’s best. It offers a seductive umami, with sweet aromas of plum and cherry, floral notes of mint and lavender, and soft yet pronounced tannins befitting a long-aging wine.

'Stag's Leap Wine Cellars' – The Wine of the Judgment of Paris

(From left) Albiera Antinori, current chairman of Antinori, his sisters Alessia and Allegra Antinori, and their father, former chairman Piero Antinori. Courtesy of Ayoung FBC.

Antinori now produces wines around the world, including in Tuscany, Umbria, Friuli in Italy, as well as California in the United States, Chile, and Hungary. Last year, the family acquired 100% of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, becoming its sole owner. Stag's Leap Wine Cellars is the legendary winery that, in the 1976 'Judgment of Paris' blind tasting among wine experts, famously beat the top Bordeaux wines of France. Antinori had invested in the winery since 2008 and, by fully acquiring it last year, joined the ranks of the world’s top-tier premium wineries beyond Italy.

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars' Artemis is matured for 18 months in French oak after being made from Cabernet Sauvignon grown in complex soils. The wine is notable for its dense fruit aromas of black cherry and plum, with a lingering finish of dark chocolate.

Stacks Lip Winesella Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon 2021.

Today, Antinori is managed by the Marchese Piero Antinori’s three daughters, who have joined the business to continue the family legacy. Albiera, Allegra, and Alessia, who became involved in the family business in the 1980s, have not only preserved tradition but also continued to innovate. The wines produced at Antinori's wineries now range from expensive premium wines to more accessible, popular options.

'Cervaro della Sala Chardonnay,' which proved the Antinori family's excellence in white wines, has won the highest '3 Glasses' distinction from Italy’s leading wine and gastronomy guide, Gambero Rosso, more than 16 times. The Chardonnay is fermented and aged in oak barrels (barriques), while the Grechetto is fermented separately in stainless steel before blending. The 2024 vintage features citrus fruit and peach aromas at its core, complemented by a sweet yet spicy vanilla note that creates a perfect harmony.

'Santa Cristina Bianco,' known as Italy’s national wine, is praised for its crisp and refreshing taste. It offers a pleasant mouthfeel and perfect balance of soft texture and acidity, resulting in a delightful finish. Santa Cristina has been produced by Antinori since 1946 and is considered a model for winemaking in the global wine industry. Fermented in stainless steel tanks, it is ideal for those who do not prefer the flavor imparted by oak barrels. In Italy, it is a market leader in its price range and is enjoyed by both beginners and experts alike.

An official from Ayong FBC, the exclusive importer of Antinori wines, said, "Antinori has been expanding beyond Italy to the rest of the world through a series of strategic winery acquisitions over several years," and added, "From traditional Super Tuscan to modern Napa Valley wines, Antinori continues to evolve across eras and borders."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.