BRAND NEW!
"Fresh, fragrant aromas of white flowers, white peach and mineral show touches of vanilla and honey. Medium-bodied, with a clean finish. Drink now through 2016. 4,000 cases made. " (WS)
"The 2009 Chardonnay is one of the most unique Chardonnays being made in California. It shows gorgeous textural finesse and fabulous overall balance. The signature Napa Valley richness is there, but in a cooler, more mineral-driven style. Smoke, crushed rocks and citrus are layered into the vibrant finish. This is a fabulous showing. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2019.
I was deeply impressed with the wines I tasted from Antica, the Antinori family’s outpost on Atlas Peak. Even though Antinori has been involved with this property since the late 1980s, these are essentially the first wines the family has made in its own facility. The Chardonnay is aged in 30-33% new barrels, sees batonnage for the first three months and undergoes partial malolactic fermentation. The Cabernet Sauvignon is aged in 55-65% new oak, while the single-vineyard Cabernet from the Townsend vineyard sees 80% new barrels. Incidentally, for readers who can find them, both 2008 Cabernets are terrific." (WA)
"A softly gentle, ultrarich Chardonnay. Fruity flavors of pineapples and Key lime pie are enriched with notes of caramelized vanilla, buttered toast, sautéed banana and honey. A stony minerality offers much needed weight and balance. Delicious. Drink now." (WE)
"The Antinori family now counts 26 generations in the wine business in Tuscany, Italy. That's quite a history. But in the Napa Valley, it's much shorter. Though Marchese Piero Antinori bought an estate on Atlas Peak in the 1980s, the family produced its first wine, a Cabernet, only in 2001.
The 2009 Antica Chardonnay is one of the finest Chardonnays I've tasted recently from California. I love its minerality and bright acidity, the light touch with oak. Each sip reveals something different — citrus, smoke, stone. The texture is gorgeous; the finish is long and lush.
Drink it with oysters, with chilled Dungeness crab, seared scallops or lobster." (Los Angeles Times)
Winery Notes:
The Antica Napa Valley 2009 Chardonnay is pure, fresh, and complex. Aromas of crushed stone fruit are interwoven with flavors of pear, apple, white peach, and a signature terroir-driven minerality. Hazelnut and vanilla add layers of intensity and intrigue.
The Chardonnay grapes came from 9 to 21-year-old vines harvested from six distinct vineyards on the estate. The vineyards are planted at an average elevation of 1,420 feet in the well-drained, alluvial soil series Bale Clay Loam and Perkins Gravelly Loam. |
