Antica Napa Valley

The name Antica originates from the words Antinori and California, and represents the Antinori family’s longstanding desire to craft exceptional estate wines that are a true expression of Napa Valley terroir.

The Antinori’s family’s 26 generations of winemaking history has long been synonymous with the famed winegrowing regions of Tuscany and Umbria. Today, their wines are among the most recognized and highly rated of Italy.

But the Marchese Piero Antinori and his daughters, Albiera, Allegra and Alessia, are also known for seeking out the undiscovered potential of specific wine regions while staying true to the tradition, culture and taste of Antinori wines.

The Antinori’s family’s winemaking history has been synonymous with the famed wine growing regions of Tuscany and Umbria since its inception more than six centuries ago, when Giovanni di Piero Antinori entered the “Arte Fiorentina,” the Winemakers’ Guild of Florence, in 1385.

Today the firm is run by Piero Antinori and his three daughters: Albiera, Allegra, and Alessia. Throughout its storied past, the family has managed this work with a fundamental respect for tradition and the territory in which they have operated. Today, their wines are among the most recognized and highly rated of Italy.

The cornerstone of the family’s philosophy has been that quality is a long-term and ongoing commitment, and the Antinori family’s centuries of successful wine production is due in no small part to this commitment.

It’s what gives the family a perspective that is unique in the wine world, and allows them to think beyond a single vintage or a single place, and to make bold choices while remaining true to the tradition, culture and taste of Antinori wines.

Which is why they have also sought to tap the potential of wine regions beyond Italy. “Ancient roots play an important role in our work, but have never been a limit to our innovative spirit,” says Marchese Piero Antinori.

So the estates in Tuscany and Umbria have been joined, over time, by investments in other territories with potential for high-quality wine—which is what attracted Piero Antinori to the Napa Valley as early as the 1960s, and led to the establishment of Antica Napa Valley.

Beyond new sites, the Antinori firm constantly seeks ways, big and small, to further quality, both in the vineyards and in the cellars. These efforts include experimenting with: new clones of grape varieties; cultivation techniques; vineyard altitudes; fermentation practices and temperatures; types of oak for aging; the sizes and age of the casks and barrels; and aging times both in the barrel and the bottle.

There are 600 acres of vineyards planted in an amphitheatre-like setting, surrounded by steep slopes on all sides and at the headwaters of two watersheds that flow through deep canyons to the Napa Valley below.

The original estate is planted to primarily Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, but also the classic Bordeaux blending varietals and Pinot Noir, Syrah, Sangiovese and Sauvignon Blanc, each planted to take advantage of the range of microclimates and soils found on the estate. The adjoining Townsend Vineyard, is set high on the ridge overlooking Rector Canyon and Napa Valley, on a west-facing slope of well-drained, volcanic soils. The fruit from this site is featured in its own vineyard-designated bottling named in honor of the neighbor from whom we purchased the property.

ESTATE VINEYARD

Our 1200-acre estates has 600 acres of vines on it, planted primarily to Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, as well as smaller amount of Bordeaux blending varietals, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Sangiovese and Sauvignon Blanc.

Situated above the fog line, the estates offers a mix of steep, rocky, well-drained soils in its higher elevations and loamy, well-drained soils in the lower ones. There are more than 50 blocks within the estate, a true patchwork quilt that takes advantage of the variations in soil, elevation and exposure to best match varietal, rootstock and clone to attain the ideal expression of this site.

The highest elevations of the property, built on the mountainsides, are planted primarily to Cabernet Sauvignon and its blending varietals: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot.

The high altitude (1,800 feet) means cooler daytime temperatures and a sunny haven above the fog line during the growing season. Heat inversion also means warmer nighttime temperatures.
The steep, rocky and well-drained soils result into low yields (three pounds) per vine, but the fully ripened grapes show great structure with concentrated fruit, and focused and persistent flavors. Tannins are ripe, balanced, and integrated.

The lowest elevations, still at 1400 feet above the valley floor, are in the Foss Valley that is perfectly suited for growing Chardonnay. Typically it’s still above the fog line, so that full day of sunlight gets to work its magic on our Chardonnay grapes, too, which we’ve planted here in rows of loamy, well-drained soils. Nighttime temperatures are even cooler here than the estate’s higher elevations, which brings out Chardonnay’s aromas and flavors while maintaining acidity. The resulting wine is rich and creamy with refreshing fruit flavors and hint of minerality.

The Sangiovese grapes grow in the far northeastern corner of the estate, the Syrah in the heart of the estate, Sauvignon Blanc in the southeastern corner and the Pinot Noir close to its Burgundian cousin, the Chardonnay.

TOWNSEND VINEYARD

After purchasing the property that would become Antica Napa Valley, Piero Antinori befriended his neighbor, June Townsend, almost immediately. She lived a simple life on top of her mountain, and was generous with her kindness.

Antinori purchased the 24-acre property from her when she decided to sell it in 1998, and even though she is no longer with us, we felt it only right to keep this very special vineyard named for the very special woman who was its steward before us.

Set high on the ridge overlooking Rector Canyon and Napa Valley some 1600 feet below, this vineyard is planted on a west-facing slope of well-drained, volcanic soils. Townsend Vineyard’s architecture is based on Antinori’s philosophy for new vineyards in Tuscany: high-density vine spacing ensures low production of fruit per vine, the vine rows are aligned from east to west to achieve ideal sun exposure, and the vines are trained low to the ground to take advantage of radiant heat from the volcanic rock and soils. Finally, rootstock and clones of Cabernet Sauvignon were chosen to complement Townsend’s terroir, ensuring the best fruit expression.

We bottle this wine on its own, as our Townsend Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.

We think Mrs. Townsend would be proud.