2010 Marchesi Antinori Villa Antinori Badia Chianti Classico Riserva

Sangiovese with 10% Merlot, the 2010 Chianti Classico Riserva Villa Antinori opens with a two-fold delivery of espresso grits and pressed red rose that give this wine a rather unique personality. The mouthfeel is bright and well-defined with cherry and dried raspberry that do a lot to sharpen the mouthfeel of this balanced Chianti Classico Riserva. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2022. The past 12 months mark one of the most exciting times in the long, long history of Antinori. Marchese Piero Antinori and his daughters inaugurated their monumental winery in Bargino, about 20 minutes from Florence in late 2012 after a series of last-minute preparations and sleepless nights. Winery doors officially opened to the public in 2013. It would be impossible to exaggerate to grandeur of this sprawling, multimillion-dollar underground edifice. Angelo Gaja told me at the opening that Antinori’s new winery is the most revolutionary event in modern Italian wine. I agree. With a museum, restaurant and tasting area, it represents Italy’s most ambitious effort yet to make wine the ultimate destination. Importer: Ste. Michele Wine Estates; www.ste-michelle.com