Marchesi Antinori
Il Bruciato
2021
Il Bruciato showcases Marchesi Antinori's expertise in Bolgheri's coastal terroir, delivering a Cabernet Sauvignon-led blend that combines ripe fruit intensity with elegant structure, reflecting the modern character of Tuscany's acclaimed maritime wine region.
Country
Italy
Region
Tuscany - Bolgheri
More information
Producer
Marchesi Antinori represents one of the oldest continuously family-owned wine estates in the world, with twenty-six generations of unbroken stewardship since Giovanni di Piero Antinori joined Florence's Arte Fiorentina dei Vinattieri in 1385. Headquartered in Tuscany and led today by Marchese Piero Antinori alongside his three daughters—Albiera, Allegra and Alessia—the House controls prestigious vineyard holdings across Chianti Classico, Bolgheri and Montalcino. Combining respect for Tuscan winemaking tradition with groundbreaking innovation, Marchesi Antinori redefined Italian fine wine during the 1970s and established the Super Tuscan movement that would reshape perceptions of the region globally.
Quick Facts
- Location: Florence, Tuscany, Italy
- Founded: 1385
- Ownership: Antinori family, twenty-sixth generation
- Current leadership: Marchese Piero Antinori with daughters Albiera, Allegra and Alessia Antinori
- Principal grapes: Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc
- Key appellations: Chianti Classico DOCG, Bolgheri DOC, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG
- Historic estate: Tenuta Tignanello, 319 hectares in Chianti Classico
- Flagship wine: Tignanello
- Other landmark wines: Solaia, Guado al Tasso, Pèppoli Chianti Classico
- Style: Super Tuscan pioneer, Sangiovese-led precision, international variety integration
- Estate holdings: Multiple properties totalling several hundred hectares across Tuscany
- Viticulture: Parcel-specific management combining traditional Tuscan practices with modern precision
Six Centuries of Tuscan Winemaking
The Antinori family's involvement in Florentine wine commerce began in 1385, when Giovanni di Piero Antinori enrolled in the Arte Fiorentina dei Vinattieri, the city's guild of vintners. Over the following centuries, the family established itself among Tuscany's most respected producers, acquiring vineyards throughout the region and exporting wine across Europe.
The estate's modern identity took shape under Marchese Piero Antinori, who assumed leadership in 1966 at the age of twenty-eight. Recognising both the limitations of existing Chianti regulations and the potential of Tuscany's finest terroirs, he initiated a series of winemaking experiments that would fundamentally reshape Italian wine.
The Birth of the Super Tuscan
In 1971, Marchesi Antinori released the first vintage of Tignanello, produced from Sangiovese blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The wine was aged in small French oak barriques rather than traditional large Slavonian casks and contained no white grapes—practices that violated Chianti Classico regulations at the time.
Unable to qualify for DOC status, Tignanello was initially labelled as simple Vino da Tavola. Its exceptional quality and international acclaim, however, demonstrated that Italy's greatest wines need not conform to restrictive appellation rules. The wine became the archetype of the Super Tuscan movement, inspiring a generation of producers to prioritise terroir expression and quality over regulatory compliance.
Solaia followed in 1978, a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend from a single vineyard neighbouring Tignanello. Together, these wines established Marchesi Antinori as the defining voice of modern Tuscan winemaking.
Tuscan Terroirs from Chianti to the Coast
The estate's vineyard holdings span Tuscany's most distinguished wine regions. Tenuta Tignanello, covering 319 hectares in the heart of Chianti Classico between the Greve and Pesa valleys, provides the fruit for both Tignanello and Solaia as well as the estate's benchmark Pèppoli Chianti Classico. Limestone-rich galestro soils and elevations between 350 and 400 metres create ideal conditions for Sangiovese and Cabernet varieties.
In Bolgheri, the coastal estate of Guado al Tasso extends across approximately 1,000 hectares, with 320 hectares under vine. Its maritime-influenced climate and gravelly, alluvial soils suit Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, producing wines of concentration and structure distinct from the inland Chianti Classico properties.
In Montalcino, the Pian delle Vigne estate focuses exclusively on Brunello di Montalcino, crafted entirely from Sangiovese Grosso. Each property reflects a commitment to site-specific viticulture and careful parcel selection, with winemaking tailored to express the distinct character of each terroir.
Precision Across the Portfolio
Vineyard work at Marchesi Antinori emphasises low yields, selective harvesting and rigorous fruit sorting. In the cellar, fermentation typically occurs in temperature-controlled stainless steel or concrete, followed by extended ageing in French oak barriques of varying sizes and toast levels depending on the wine and vintage.
The result is a collection that balances power with elegance, fruit intensity with structure, and Tuscan identity with global sophistication. Tignanello and Solaia routinely age for two decades or more, developing layered complexity while retaining freshness and precision. Estate Chianti Classico wines offer earlier accessibility but reward patience with evolving aromatic depth and tertiary character.
Across every vintage and every appellation, Marchesi Antinori remains a reference point for Italian fine wine—a House that honours six centuries of tradition while continuing to define the future of Tuscan winemaking.
Country
Region
Tuscany - Bolgheri
Bolgheri is widely regarded as one of Italy's most influential wine regions and the birthplace of the Super Tuscan movement that revolutionised Italian winemaking in the late 20th century. Located on the Tuscan coast in central Italy, Bolgheri broke from traditional Italian grape varieties and classifications to produce Bordeaux-inspired blends that achieved international acclaim and redefined what Italian fine wine could be. Today the region represents the benchmark for modern Italian winemaking and produces some of the country's most collectible bottles.
The region benefits from a distinctive maritime climate influenced by the Tyrrhenian Sea, which moderates temperatures and extends the growing season. Sandy clay and gravel soils provide ideal drainage and concentration for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, while coastal breezes preserve natural acidity and freshness. Granted DOC status in 1994, Bolgheri encompasses both varietal wines and blends, with the prestigious Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC established in 2013 exclusively for Tenuta San Guido's legendary Sassicaia—Italy's first internationally recognised Super Tuscan and the wine that inspired an entire movement.
Bolgheri is home to several iconic estates that have achieved global recognition. Tenuta San Guido produces the celebrated Sassicaia, while Ornellaia, Masseto, Le Macchiole, Grattamacco and Guado al Tasso continue to produce refined and powerful wines that command respect from collectors worldwide. These producers have elevated Bolgheri to a status that rivals Bordeaux's finest appellations and established the region as synonymous with exceptional quality and visionary winemaking.
Whether exploring legendary vintages, prestigious estates or benchmark Super Tuscan blends, Bolgheri offers an exceptional journey through one of Italy's most dynamic wine regions. Discover Bolgheri wines, compare prices from trusted merchants across Europe and find the best offers with Sipfind.
Grapes
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world’s most important and widely planted red wine grapes, renowned for its powerful structure, concentrated fruit and exceptional ageing potential. Originating in Bordeaux, France, the variety has become a defining grape of fine wine regions around the world, particularly Napa Valley, Tuscany, Chile, Australia and South Africa.
Classic Cabernet Sauvignon combines flavours and aromas of blackcurrant, cassis, blackberry and dark cherry with characteristic notes of cedar, graphite, tobacco and herbs. Naturally high tannins and fresh acidity provide structure and longevity, while maturation in oak can add layers of spice, vanilla and toast. Its character varies significantly with climate, soil and winemaking, ranging from elegant and savoury to rich, powerful and intensely concentrated.
In Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon is particularly associated with the Left Bank, where it forms the foundation of many prestigious blends alongside Merlot, Cabernet Franc and other permitted varieties. In Napa Valley, it has become the region’s signature red grape, producing some of the world’s most sought-after Cabernet Sauvignon wines.
Cabernet Sauvignon’s ability to express terroir while retaining its distinctive structure and character has made it a global benchmark for premium red wine. Whether produced as the dominant variety in a blend or as a varietal wine, the finest examples combine concentration, complexity and the capacity to develop gracefully over decades
Merlot is one of the world’s most important red wine grapes, celebrated for its generous fruit, supple texture and ability to produce wines ranging from approachable and elegant to exceptionally complex and long-lived. Originating in Bordeaux, France, Merlot is particularly associated with the Right Bank, where it forms the foundation of many of the prestigious wines of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion.
Merlot typically expresses flavours and aromas of plum, black cherry, blackberry and red fruits, often developing notes of chocolate, tobacco, cedar, herbs and earthy complexity with maturation. Its naturally rounded texture and generally softer tannin profile distinguish it from Cabernet Sauvignon, although the finest examples can possess considerable structure, freshness and ageing potential.
In Pomerol, Merlot reaches some of its most celebrated expressions, particularly on the appellation’s clay-rich soils, producing wines of remarkable concentration, texture and complexity. In Saint-Émilion, it is commonly blended with Cabernet Franc and, to a lesser extent, Cabernet Sauvignon, creating wines that combine ripe fruit with structure, aromatic complexity and longevity.
Beyond Bordeaux, Merlot is widely cultivated in Italy, California, Washington State, Chile and other major wine regions. It can be produced as a varietal wine or used as a central component of blends, where its fruit and texture complement more structured grape varieties.
From the great Merlot-based wines of Bordeaux’s Right Bank to leading expressions around the world, Merlot’s combination of rich fruit, refined texture and capacity to express terroir has established it as one of the defining varieties of fine red wine.
Syrah is one of the world’s great red wine grapes, celebrated for its combination of dark fruit, savoury complexity, peppery spice and structured elegance. Most famously associated with France’s Northern Rhône, Syrah is capable of producing intensely expressive and remarkably long-lived wines while developing distinctive styles across wine regions around the world.
In the Northern Rhône, Syrah reaches some of its most celebrated expressions in Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, Cornas and Saint-Joseph. The region’s steep slopes, varied granite-based soils and continental climate create wines combining concentration with freshness and aromatic precision. Classic expressions can show blackberry, blackcurrant, violet, black pepper and olive, alongside smoked meat, herbs, earth and spice as the wines mature.
Syrah naturally combines deep colour and considerable flavour concentration with firm tannins and refreshing acidity. Vineyard site, climate and winemaking have a profound influence on its character. Cooler sites tend to emphasise floral aromas, pepper and savoury complexity, while warmer climates can produce richer wines with ripe blackberry, plum, liquorice and dark spice.
Outside France, the grape has achieved particular prominence in Australia, where it is generally known as Shiraz. Regions including the Barossa Valley have developed powerful and internationally recognised expressions, while cooler Australian regions can produce more restrained styles. Syrah is also important in California, South Africa, Chile and other premium wine regions.
Whether expressed through the mineral, savoury wines of the Northern Rhône or the richer styles found elsewhere, Syrah’s combination of power, aromatic complexity, structure and ageing potential has established it as one of the defining varieties of fine red wine.
History and Style
Il Bruciato is an estate wine from Marchesi Antinori, one of Italy's most prestigious wine families, crafted in the renowned Bolgheri DOC on Tuscany's Mediterranean coast. This Cabernet Sauvignon-led blend represents an approachable yet sophisticated expression of the region's distinctive coastal terroir, offering wine enthusiasts an accessible entry point into Bolgheri's acclaimed Bordeaux-style wines.
Quick Facts
- Producer: Marchesi Antinori
- Classification: DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata)
- Region: Tuscany
- Appellation: Bolgheri DOC
- Country: Italy
- Style: Medium to full-bodied Tuscan coastal red blend
- Grape Composition: Cabernet Sauvignon-led blend with Merlot and Syrah (exact proportions vary by vintage)
- Ageing Potential: 5-8 years from vintage
- Alcohol (ABV): 13.5-14%
- Tasting Profile: Blackcurrant, plum, Mediterranean herbs, spice, tobacco, supple tannins
- Food Pairing: Grilled meats, pasta with ragu, roasted lamb, aged pecorino, charcuterie
- Serving Temperature: 16-18°C
- Bottle Status: Estate Wine
- Vintage: Non-Vintage (multi-vintage release)
Vineyard, Terroir and Style
The Antinori family has been instrumental in shaping modern Italian viticulture for over six centuries, and their Bolgheri holdings benefit from the area's unique mesoclimate. Situated between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the hills, the vineyards enjoy cooling maritime breezes that moderate summer heat while maintaining excellent sun exposure. The gravelly, well-drained soils mirror those of Bordeaux's Left Bank, providing ideal conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah to ripen fully while retaining aromatic freshness and balanced acidity.
History and Reputation
Il Bruciato displays the hallmark characteristics of Bolgheri: concentrated dark fruit flavours, Mediterranean herb notes, and supple tannins shaped by aging in oak. The wine balances ripe blackcurrant and plum with hints of spice, tobacco, and coastal scrubland aromatics. Its medium to full body and smooth texture make it versatile at the table, while maintaining the structural integrity that allows for several years of cellaring.
For those exploring Tuscan coastal wines or seeking quality Super Tuscan-style blends at estate level, Il Bruciato offers excellent value and authenticity. Compare prices across premium retailers on Sipfind to discover this compelling expression of Bolgheri terroir.