What’s in a name? In the case of an Antinori, a name carries certain expectations. Fortunately, for Marchese Lodovico Antinori, this pressure has never seemed an issue; a maverick in his own right, he built Ornellaia and Masseto and firmly established his place within a Tuscan winemaking dynasty.

How do you follow this kind of success? Lodovico, along with his brother Piero and sister Ilaria, shifted their attention from the familiar settings of Chianti and Bolgheri to the lesser-known commune of Bibbona, in Maremma, north of Bolgheri. Three branches of the Antinori family came together, representing a wealth of Tuscan winemaking knowledge, and so Tenuta di Biserno was born.

What makes the land around Biserno particularly interesting is that Lodovico first came across the vineyards in 1994, when looking to add to Ornellaia’s holdings. However, it quickly became apparent that the 90 hectares (ha) of land was too stony and hilly in nature to form one contiguous plot. Nevertheless, the area's unique characteristics made enough of an impression for the Marchese to want to return once the family had sold Ornellaia.

Today, the estate is run by Niccolò Marzichi Lenzi, Lodovico’s nephew and son of Ilaria. He is supported by Director of Viticulture Ranieri Orsini, who previously worked with Lodovico at Ornellaia and possesses a deep understanding of grape growing in coastal Tuscany.

Thanks to the locality's natural warmth, Cabernet Franc is the grape variety of focus and, as Niccolò believes, a great conveyor of terroir. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot also play their part in the final blends. One thing is clear when tasting these wines: they are a true example of modern Tuscan winemaking, full of freshness and generosity while still maintaining a dash of rusticity, which all great Italian wines possess. In this year’s offer, the flagship Biserno bottling comes from the 2023 vintage, while the Il Pino di Biserno comes from 2024.

Daniel Sensini
Fine Wine Buying
October 2026