North Idaho Enological Society Past Events
Antinori Wine Estates - November 2019
NIES has previously had the pleasure of Joe Gore as a presenter, and we wanted more! As the Eastern Washington/North Idaho District Manager for the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, he has shared his knowledge about the extensive portfolio that is Ste. Michelle Wine Estates (including the exclusive importer of Antinori wines), along with the direct attributes of the Chateau Ste. Michelle wines tasted in that program. That was then, but this is now … for tonight’s tasting, Joe brought a professional power point presentation with loads of content, plus he offered entertaining anecdotes and lore regarding the Antinori family, along with insights regarding their wines that we were tasting. Five of the seven wines had rankings of 90 – 93 points!
One of Joe’s remarks was that “food comes first in Italian culture.” Our dynamic Co-Food Directors Joan & Michelle earned high praise from Joe for the food pairings they created to enhance the enjoyment of the wines tasted. Specifically, their rich Bacon Ranch Cheddar Cheese Ball was the perfect fare for the three wines that were 90% - 100% Sangiovese.
Tracing its winemaking roots to 1385 – spanning 26 generations – the Antinori family has produced exceptional wines that proudly celebrate their Tuscan and Umbrian roots. With vineyards planted in Italy’s more prestigious areas – Chianti Classico, Bolgheri, Montalcino, Montepulciano and Orvieto – Marchesi Antinori stands as a leader among Europe’s finest winemakers. Antinori wines proudly honor Italian winemaking traditions, but also reflect the family’s relentless push to innovate and experiment. From generation to generation, no other family of winemakers has achieved such consistent excellence.
Forward thinking to control quality, Antinori cultivates all their vines at greenhouses at Guado al Tasso, their estate in Bolgheri, for planting in their other areas. They have their own cooperage for premium Hungarian oak barrels that yield softer tannins than French or American oak barrels. While producing wines in several of Italy’s top regions, unique to the Antinori line up is that each estate has their own winemaking team so that each estate’s wines have their own “sense of place.”
It was a great evening featuring wonderful wines and a fabulous presentation!