My recent lunch with Sophia Antinori had essentially every element I require to declare it a fabulous afternoon - beautiful wines, juicy steaks, and conversation that flowed as easily as the Cabernet Franc in our glasses. If you’re a wine lover, Sophia’s surname has surely tipped you off to her family’s rarefied position in the wine world. With a noble family tree, the Antinori family has been producing wine for 26 generations, as far back as at least 1385. And innovation has been essential to the family’s enduring prominence.
Sophia’s father, Marchese Lodovico Antinori, has never shied away from defying convention; he founded two Tuscan wine icons—Ornellaia, the groundbreaking Super Tuscan red blend of Bordeaux varieties, and Masseto, a majestic Merlot. In 2001, Marchese Antinori sold Ornellaia and Masseto, but his story was far from done. In 2018, he co-founded Tenuta del Nicchio with Sophia, and the wine debuted with the 2020 vintage.
Over a lunch of perfectly cooked medium-rare steaks at Keens Steakhouse in Manhattan, Sophia shared her fries with me and some key insights about Tenuta del Nicchio.
The Grape: Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is the star of Tenuta del Nicchio’s wines. Marchese Antinori has described the grape as “capricious” — but, as he’s put it, worth the effort for winemakers “looking to do something great,” according to Tenuta del Nicchio’s U.S. importer, Bowler Wine. A significant part of that greatness comes from crafting wines that express a sense of place and convey terroir.
The Terroir: Upper Maremma
Woods surround Tenuta del Nicchio’s mosaic of isolated vineyard parcels, which span 12 hectares in four distinct townships of the Upper Maremma in coastal Tuscany: Bolgheri, Bibbona, Castagneto Carducci, and Sassetta, and range from one to three hectares in size. The vines are planted on north-facing slopes with complex geology. The Cabernet Franc grown here is powerful but balanced; the maritime influence of the Tyrrhenian Sea imbues the grapes with freshness.
The Approach: Small but Mighty
That philosophy drives Tenuta del Nicchio’s strategy. Sophia laughed as she shared that her father was so adamant about this point that he insisted that she sign a father-daughter pact, vowing to always keep their venture at a human scale, where quality can be managed every step of the way without compromise.
The Wines: Il Nicchio and Le2Ville
This commitment to quality was apparent in the two wines I tasted with Sophia: Il Nicchio 2021 (around $275) and Le2Ville del Nicchio 2023 (around $50). 100% Cabernet Franc, Il Nicchio is bigger and more complex without being over-the-top; its freshness keeps it lifted and graceful. It is very drinkable now but has the structure needed to go the distance and age. However, it would be a shame to dismiss the more accessibly priced Le2Ville as just another everyday wine. The blend of 50% Cabernet Franc, 30% Ciliegiolo, and 20% Merlot has finesse and nuance.
My tasting with Sophia reminded me why wine matters. For Sophia and Lodovico Antinori, wine isn’t just the family business; it is an integral part of their identity and legacy. Yes, Il Nicchio is a fine wine with a royal pedigree, but seeing the label will always remind me of enjoying steak, fries, and laughs with Sophia. And that’s wine’s power — we may meet as strangers but share a bottle, and the walls come down.
"...the walls come down." I love that!