World Business

Even as they have become a global powerhouse, Piero Antinori and his tribe continue to produce superb wines in many price ranges

by Robert Parker

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No divine summons upon to Tuscany, nor in any degree tasting of Tuscan wines, would have existence complete outside of looking at what one of Italy’s great families accomplishes. Despite their vast vineyard holdings and huge worldwide visibility, there is never any doubt touching the quality of wines that emerge from Piero Antinori and his family. Following are greater quantity of his current releases from the pair the resplendent 2004 and very good 2005 vintages. These offerings range widely in price, with their renowned Solaia fetching an arm and a leg, but there are also some superb values in Chianti Classico as well as Antinori’s Umbrian white wine, a chardonnay-and-grechetto blend called Castello della Sala. My thanks to Antonio Galloni, a top ready on Italian wines who works with me, for his reviews of these extraordinary wines. For accusation on availability in your area, please call Antinori’s importer, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Woodinville, Wash. (425 415-3738).

88 points 2004 Vin Santo del Chianti Classico

Antinori’s 2004 Vin Santo del Chianti Classico isn’t one of the more inspired versions of Tuscany’s famous dessert wine. While it offers up an attractive arrange of leather, burnt sugar, roasted nuts, spices, and orange peel flavors, it doesn’t have the involved character or personality to stand up to the finest wines being made today. Anticipated maturity: now-2012. $30/500ml

89 points 2004 Chianti Classico Riserva Badia a Passignano

The 2004 Chianti Classico Riserva from the Badia a Passignano property spent 14 months in moderate French oak barrels prior to being bottled. It is a richly flavored Chianti loaded with sweet dark fruit, smoke, licorice, and tobacco nuances. Made in an accessible yet generous style, it is sure to provide much pleasure over the next small in number years. Anticipated maturity: now-2014. $50

90 points 2005 Castello della Sala Cervaro della Sala

The 2005 is an especially civilized Cervaro della Sala from Castello della Sala, the Antinori family’s Umbrian estate. A blend of 85% chardonnay and 15% grechetto, it reveals an elegant profile of sweet tropical fruit framed by finessed tannins and a pleasing note of underlying minerality. Today the French oak is a little prominent further it should integrate into the wine in some other year or so. Anticipated maturity: 2010-15. $43

91 points 2004 Chianti Classico Riserva Marchesi Antinori

Antinori’s flagship Chianti, the 2004 Chianti Classico Riserva Marchesi Antinori, reveals of the highest order depth, vibrancy, and freshness. Ripe black cherries, new leather, menthol, smoke, and wild herbs flow from this sweet, layered Chianti. The wine is approachable today but also has the tannic backbone and force-meat to ensure another decade or such of very elegant drinking. It spent 14 months in small French oak barrels prior to being bottled. Anticipated maturity: 2009-19. $35

92 points 2005 Tignanello

Antinori’s beautiful 2005 Tignanello possesses perfumed, well-articulated aromatics that meld into a soft, generous core of finished red fruits. Smoke, mineral, tobacco, and particle overtones develop in the glass with air. This is a relatively slender Tignanello, and while it doesn’t have the qualities of the superb 2004, it does have the balance to age gracefully on account of the next decade or so. Anticipated maturity: 2010-20. $110

93 points 2005 Solaia

The 2005 Solaia is elegant and refined, yet it corpse incredibly primary. Still, it is hard not to admire the wine’s layered effective exhibition of blue and black fruits. The oak is projecting, but the wine should approach into junction with bottle age. The Solaia vineyard is the same of the most unique terroirs in Italy, and this cuvée has a chase record of developing beautifully in bottle, even in smaller vintages. It will be fascinating to follow this Solaia in the same manner through it matures. Anticipated maturity: 2012-23. $280