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Wine Spectator's Wineries to Watch: Five rising stars in Napa Valley
By James Laube - Issue: November 15th, 2009
http://www.winespectator.com/magazine/show/id/40929
About This Wine:Antica is an Antinori Family estate in the Napa Valley. The family’s winemaking heritage dates back 26 generations and over 600 years in Italy. ‘Antica’ represents Antinori California, and fulfills the family’s longstanding desire to produce beautiful wines in Napa Valley.
Set in the northwest corner of the estate is a 40-acre parcel of land purchased in 1998 from longtime friend and neighbor, Mrs. June Townsend. The Antinori family planted 24 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon there in 1999 and named it “Townsend Vineyard” in tribute.
Townsend Vineyard is planted high on the ridge of the upper Rector Canyon watershed. The soil is made up of Pliocene volcanic, mainly of andesite and basalt rocks. Townsend Vineyard’s architecture is derived from the Antinori vineyard philosophy in Tuscany. All planting decisions were based on row direction (east to west) to attain the best sun exposure; high density vine spacing (2,233 vines per acre) to achieve low fruit yield per vine; and selection of rootstocks and clones best suited to the land and climate to ensure ideal fruit expression.
Only 22% of the grapes harvested from Townsend Vineyard were used to create the “Townsend Vineyard” Cabernet Sauvignon. This small vineyard area was harvested on September 30 and October 1. The yield was slightly less than 2 pounds of fruit per vine. Great care was taken to select clusters of uniform maturity.
Ratings & Reviews
91-93 Points - Robert Parker's Wine AdvocateThe 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Townsend Vineyard is another huge, muscular wine from this site. It jumps from the glass with masses of dark fruit, tar, licorice and smoke. There is plenty of richness in the glass, but the oak (85% new) is also a bit prominent at this stage. The 2010 Townsend is going to be a fascinating wine to follow over the coming years. If it comes together, it may merit a higher score. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030.
I was deeply impressed with the wines I tasted from
Antica, the Antinori family’s outpost on Atlas Peak. Even though
Antinori has been involved with this property since the late 1980s,
these are essentially the first wines the family has made in its own
facility. The Chardonnay is aged in 30-33% new barrels, sees batonnage
for the first three months and undergoes partial malolactic
fermentation. The Cabernet Sauvignon is aged in 55-65% new oak, while
the single-vineyard Cabernet from the Townsend vineyard sees 80% new
barrels. Incidentally, for readers who can find them, both 2008
Cabernets are terrific. - Antonio Galloni (Dec 2011)
95 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (2009 vintage):The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Townsend Vineyard is a striking wine. Here the coolness of the year helps temper some of the riper tendencies in the wine. The 2009 Townsend reveals stunning balance in its expressive fruit, with multiple veins of underlying minerality that frame the exquisite, long finish. The integration of the oak (80% new) is fabulous. This is a super-impressive effort. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2029.- Antonio Galloni (Dec 2011)
