I love red wine and in particular, Italian red wine. The idea of Italian wine is for it to be enjoyed at any time of day and go with any meal. I prescribe to that idea. When I’m looking for a bottle of wine to just drink and enjoy, Italian reds are my usual choice. I don’t really have to worry about if it will go with my dinner because the chance that it will is high. If I want something to drink while I’m doing something else, Italian wine is perfect. Yes, there are some Italian wines that are very serious, Barolo and Super Tuscans come to mind, but a majority of Italian wines are meant to be drunk by average people, on an average day, with typical food.
There has been a long tradition of winemaking in Italy, with families going back generations. This is no exception for the Antinori family. The first vintage of Antinori wine was made in 1385 and there have been 26 generations that have continued to make wine. In fact, Villa Antinori is the 10th oldest family run company in the world. The knowledge passed down through generations is invaluable in winemaking and guarantees a level of quality, no matter the price of the wine. However, with this level of tradition can come an inability or unwillingness to experiment or make improvements. But Villa Antinori has avoided being stagnant and has been at the forefront of Italian wine innovation.
The family has experimented with fermentation and aging techniques, blending, and temperature control. However, their greatest contributions have been with experimentation of winemaking with non-native grapes. As early as 1924, the family began making Chianti and blending Bordeaux varieties into the wine. This experimentation continued and in 1974, Cabernet Sauvignon was added to the blend. In addition, the wine was made without the addition of white grapes, which is required for a Chianti classification. This meant that the wine that Antinori and other vintners who were making similar wines could only be called “table wine”. In order to market these high quality wine blends, the term “Super Tuscan” was born. The wines were very popular and sold at higher prices.
The Villa Antinori Toscana is a blend of several grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Petit Verdot, Syrah, and Merlot. The blend makes for a tasty wine that has notes of berries, cherries and plums. It also has vanilla from the oak barrels and black pepper. There is also notes of chocolate that balance the fruit. The wine has gone through a malolactic fermentation which has rounded out the tannins, giving them a silky texture and a pleasant finish.
This is a wine that goes with food but can also be drunk on its own. It’s a wine that can impress during a dinner party but not break the bank. It’s a high quality wine, made by a high quality producer, with a price tag that anyone can afford. I highly recommend keeping a couple of bottles on hand.