The renowned Antinori family’s international wine business based in Florence, Italy is currently run by the 25th and 26th generation, a father and his three daughters. They offer more diverse, more innovative and more critically acclaimed wines than ever before in the company’s history. In addition to several wine estates and an enormous wine making presence in Tuscany, the Antinori’s maintain operations in Piedmont, Lombardy, Umbria and Puglia, Italy and Napa Valley, California.
The Antinori’s success is all the more remarkable when you consider that a recent survey found that only 15% of family businesses survive past the 2nd generation. Their story so exceeds just beating the odds that they are one of the oldest family businesses in existence. The enclosed link will take you to an April, 2009 60 Minutes news program piece on the family, their philosophy and their wine empire back (at http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/10/10/60minutes/main4514254.shtml ).
Bottle King is proud to offer a selection of the Antinori wines as the September/October 2009 winery feature. These seven white and red wines carry distinctive personalities while maintaining the typicity of their geographic origins. There is a wine for everyone and each offers exceptional value at a wide range of prices. For example, the Santa Cristina Sangiovese, a blend of Sangiovese and 10% Merlot, is an easy drinking, medium bodied red wine that will compliment your next pizza dinner. The Marchese Chianti Classico Riserva, a blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon, is a more serious, full bodied and spicy Chianti that belongs on the table at that special Sunday gathering. And Tignanello, the innovation that started a revolution in Tuscany which improved the quality of all Italian wines. It represents Italian wine royalty and is the perfect idea for that wine collector friend or relative that seems to be so hard to surprise or please.
Entering their 635th year in the wine business, this is a very old and well established story that sets the standard for others to imitate. But with a visionary patriarch and three young, dedicated and talented winemaking women at the helm this also remains a very new and exciting story. Stay tuned ……
Francis Mastrangelo
Bottle King Wine Consultant
Filed under: Hot New Wines, Italian Wine, Wine, Winery Features
