Antinori Family Antica A26 Chardonnay 2018

The Antinori Family A26 Chardonnay combines 630 years of Italian winemaking know-how with the richly distinctive Napa terroir of the Atlas Peak appellation. It is fitting that the A26 Chardonnay possesses a mixture of both classical and modern styles.  With beguiling aromas of tropical fruits, marzipan, and just a kiss of sea spray, this stylish Chardonnay is simply timeless.  It is the perfect wine for connoisseurs who want a truly decadent and stylish expression of this versatile varietal.  In 1993, Marchese Piero Anitori and his daughters Albiera, Allegra and Alessia sought out undiscovered wine regions to expand their viticultural footprint.  They were drawn to the Atlas Peak AVA in Napa and after seeing this picture perfect estate, purchased it without hesitation. 

Piero Antinori was no stranger to the winemaking business, and he hails from 26 generations of winemakers.  He was introduced to wine at the tender age of fifteen and considers wine to be an “integral part of life.”  His philosophy is about combining both innovation and tradition to redefine winemaking in Italy and was one of the renegade winemakers who launched Solaia, a type of wine that took the world by storm in the 1970s.  The Super Tuscan.  He made significant strides in Italy and lobbied the Italian government to change the Chianti DOC regulations to DOCG, encouraging production of top notch wines from this previously overlooked appellation.  But it was only a matter of time before he wanted a change and set his sights on the Napa Valley. 

The Antinori family initially chose to lease the property to one of their partners for 15 years.  This was a strategic decision on Piero’s behalf, as he wanted his young daughters to hone their expertise in the wine trade.  In 1994, the winery was built and in 1998 the family expanded their holdings by purchasing the Townsend property – a vineyard from a family friend.  They planted a cornucopia of different varietals: Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Sauvignon Blanc, and some Italian varietals as well.  After several years, the estate was named Antica Napa Valley – a combination of the Antinori name and the word, “California.”  Interestingly enough, Antica also means, “ancient,” in Italian. 

The expansive 1200 acre property is planted with 600 acres of vines – most of them are Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.  The property sits well above the fog line as Atlas Peak has one of the highest elevations in the Napa Valley.  A mosaic of soils can be found at Antica and some of which are rocky, while others are loamy and sandy.  The Antinori family spends a significant amount of time planting the perfect varietal per soil plot, ensuring ideal expression of terroir. The Antica A26 Chardonnay is the perfect wine for those in search of a balanced expression of Chardonnay.  There is just the slightest kiss of oak to enhance the wine, but not at the expense of losing a racing core of minerality and tropical fruit.  A truly stunning wine that gets better as each vintage progresses.

"Antica is the Pierro Antinori project in Napa Valley. The 2019 Chardonnay A26 comes from Atlas Peak. It offers up bold scents of warm grapefruit, apricots and pear tart with suggestions of honey toast, praline, sea spark and crushed rocks with a waft of struck match. The medium-bodied palate has a soft-spoken savory character with plenty of mineral spark and a lively backbone, finishing long and creamy." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate (11/5/2020), Ratings: 92+, Drink: 2020-2026

"Slightly more expensive, the 2019 Chardonnay A26 is cut from the same cloth as the Mountain Select release yet offers another level of richness and depth. Lots of white peach, stone fruits, honeysuckle, white flowers, and toasted bread notes give way to a medium to full-bodied, nicely concentrated, beautifully balanced Chardonnay that has the class to drink well today yet also evolve for 5-7 years, if not longer" -Jeb Dunnuck, Jebdunnuck.com, Rating: 94, Drink: 2021-2029