Cellar Favorite: 1983 Marchesi Antinori Tignanello

BY NEAL MARTIN | JULY 13, 2026

I encountered the 1983 Tignanello, from double magnum no less, at a dinner in Pomerol during this year’s en primeur. The host was unsure whether the wine was past its sell-by date and invited me to sample before pouring it for guests. I assured him that there was nothing wrong — it just needed a couple of hours of decanting to allow it to cohere and lose its patina of funk. Though skeptical, he followed my advice. Sure enough, that aeration was crucial and helped reveal a splendid, fully mature Tignanello, a wine made by former Winemaker Giacomo Tachis. A blend of 80% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, the 1983 was matured for about 24 months in French oak barrels and Slavonian oak casks.

Showing modest bricking on the tuile rim with a light core, the wine boasts a sublime bouquet: scents of singed leather, bay leaf and pinecones, vestiges of red fruit that unspool with aeration. The palate is beautifully balanced and finely delineated. Whilst not a powerful Tignanello, the 1983 has a rustic charm. Balsamic-tinged red fruit, meat juices, black truffles and white pepper vie for attention, and whilst not particularly long, it “grows” in the glass, as if thanking you for having faith to wait when the cork was pulled. The 1983 has held up better than expected, although the double magnum format is certainly a help. Though it will not improve with continued cellaring, I have no reason to doubt the 1983 will give another 10 to 15 years’ drinking pleasure. 92/2026-2035.

© 2026, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.