Antinori Badia A Passignano Chianti Classico 2005 - 1.5 Litre Bottle

This structured and 'historic' red wine originates from Italy, within the prestigious Chianti Classico D.O.C.G. appellation of Tuscany. Sourced entirely from the historic Badia a Passignano estate in the heart of the region, the vineyards surround a magnificent 10th-century Vallombrosian monastery renowned for viticulture since the year 1000. Acquired entirely by the Marchesi Antinori family in 1987, the property features parcels planted at roughly 300 metres above sea level on soils rich in limestone and clay. The winery operates under a traditional philosophy that celebrates the purity of its single-estate clones, aging the wines within the abbey’s ancient cellars to balance old-world nobility with modern precision.

Wine Description

The 2005 Antinori Badia a Passignano presents an intense, deep ruby red colour that gracefully hints at its age while maintaining unexpected visual integrity. Released originally under the Riserva classification, this label represents a selection of the estate's top fruit that retroactively satisfies the strict requirements of the prestigious Gran Selezione tier introduced years later. Its sensory profile is open, complex, and highly evolved, revealing an expansive bouquet of ripe blackberries, blackcurrants, and dried cherries layered with sophisticated tertiary notes of licorice, saddle leather, sweet oregano, sage, and a dash of balsamic vinegar. On the palate, the wine is wonderfully balanced, refined, and round, showcasing an ample fruit core supported by a moderately strong, vibrant acidity and firm, well-integrated tannins that carry a slight, classically drying textural edge. The taste profile finishes with an elegant, medium-to-long persistence highlighted by herbs, leather, and dark fruit.

This 100% Sangiovese wine reached a well-balanced alcohol content (ABV) of 13.5%. The manually selected grapes underwent a 15-day alcoholic fermentation and maceration on the skins in stainless steel vats before naturally completing malolactic fermentation. The wine was aged for 14 months primarily in new Hungarian oak barriques (300L and 225L), with a minor portion resting in new French oak barrels, followed by 12 months of bottle refinement prior to commercial release. While the estate fosters environmental harmony and traditional agricultural care across its grounds, this bottling is not certified organic.