Antinori In America: Antica

In 2012 I had the pleasure of meeting both Albiera and Alessia Antinori whilst they were here (separately) doing business in Hong Kong, the former here working closely with Acker, Merral and Condit on one of their auctions and the latter here for the Primum Familiae Vini lunch during Vinexpo Asia Pacific 2012.

It was at this time that I also tried their Solaia 2008 (with Alessia at the PFV lunch) and both the Solaia and Tignanello of various vintages having just completed my interview with Albiera. I found a passion for Tignanello more so than the other wines but a recent taste of another Antinori wine peaked my interest once more and it is this that I think Hong Kong wine lovers should give a try at some point this year.

The wine in question is called Antica and is the Antinori wine produced in California, U.S.A., or more specifically, in the hills of the Napa Valley. Founded in the 1980’s after Piero Antinori’s first visit to the region in the 1960’s in conjunction with Whitbread of the UK and Champagne Bollinger of France, the winery originally made a wine called Atlas Peak, but after the partners pulled out leaving the Antinori family solely in charge, the wine was renamed Antica in 2006.

Antica is the conglomeration of the words “Antinori” and “California” but also has a meaning in Italian. It means “ancient”, so the word is not just a bastardisation of two words; it actually has some meaning to it too.

The red wine I tasted (I have not yet tried the Chardonnay but it too is made is very limited quantities) was the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon (as one would expect from Napa Valley) and, coupled with their 600 year history of winemaking in Tuscany and their use of Cabernet in the ‘Super Tuscans’ they produce in Tuscany, one would expect the Napa wine to be a one of exceptional quality.

They also make a Sangiovese from the winery but it retails much cheaper than the Cabernet as, apparently, local Americans are more interested in drinking Cabernet from Napa Valley than Sangiovese. Red wine bottlings also include the Malbec, Syrah and Pinot Noir.

Speaking to Jacopo Pandolfini, export director of Antinori and based in China he told me:

“Since 2004 we have replanted part of the vineyards but we have 40 hectares of Cabernet and Chardonnay which make some fantastic wines. The style of the wine is generally different from other Napa Valley vineyards, we don’t look for too much power, we look for elegance, acidity and minerality which are achievable in this area”.

“We use French oak to make it a more traditional Cabernet and that also gives it great ability to age. Like most wines made by Antinori it is also a great food wine, we want the Italian style so you will not find the typical Napa vanilla nuances you get from American oak”.

The 2009 Cabernet is exceptionally good, but it is also one that, much like other high-end Napa Valley Cabernets but in my opinion also needs time in the cellar to mellow out and become the wine it was designed to be when bottled.

The Wine Advocate says this of the 2009:

"The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon comes across as a bit more reticent and inward next to the superb 2008, but it, too, is a gorgeous wine. Dark red fruit, licorice, smoke and tar are some of the nuances that flow from this layered, gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2009 was bottled just two months ago. It will almost certainly be even better in a few years’ time. A mid-weight, gracious wine, the 2009 should drink well to age 20 or so. In 2009 the blend includes 1.5% Petit Verdot. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029." 92 Points

Admittedly, when I ordered the wine (yes, I drank it in a restaurant in Hong Kong and drank the whole bottle – plus more – with a good friend) I knew that drinking a 2009 meant that I was not drinking it at its best (one of the seminal problems with some restaurant wine lists) but it was worth it and I could see the potential in the wine.

I can recommend you pick up a few bottles and cellar them, they’re not expensive as far as top quality Napa Valley Cabernets go these days, as I reckon it will be worth the wait. Whether you should wait, as WA suggests, to 2019 to drink I am not sure as patience, albeit a virtue, is lacking these days, but in a few years time you will really see what a great wine this is.

Antinori wines (including Antica) are available from Links Concept here in Hong Kong and con be contacted through their website – www.linksconcept.com.hk

(images courtesy of the Antinori website)