TN : Villa Antinori 2003, IGT, Antinori, Tuscany, Italy

They say that wine is meant to go with food. The only food this would work well is grilled oak plank. This wine is overoaked. What was the winemaker thinking. I would have expected better from a well established and well recognised producer such as Antinori. This also goes to show what a joke the Systembolaget monopoly is. The idea is that all wines are tasted so that it isn't possible to get a bad bottle. This one got through. It was probably bought because the Systembolaget buys it every year. It had some fruit lurking in the background but it was quite well masked.

This wine is a blend of 60% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 5% Syrah.

Autumn and winter 2002 were rainy and fairly cold. The spring and summer of 2003 were among the hottest and driest in recent years. Budding was earlier than average for all varieties because of the dry mild weather. From June onwards the temperatures were very high and there was no rain at all. Thus the grapes ripened early. High sugar levels were recorded after 15th August for the earliest ripening varieties. Production quantities were low because of the lack of water.

The grapes were destemmed, lightly presses, and macerated in stainless steel tanks for 12 days, at a temperature below 30 degrees. Alcoholic fermentation took place during this time. By the end of 2003, the malolactic fermentation had completed. The wine was then partially transferred to French, American, and Hungarian oak barriques to age for 12 months. The wine was then aged in bottle for 8 months prior to its release.

Colour : Purple, brown

Aroma : Oak, dark fruits

Taste : Oak, sour cherries, slight blackcurrant

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 128 SEK

Mark : D

Website : Antinori