Monte Antico Toscana IGT
It was the early 70s when Neil Empson, father of this wine, was sitting at the table with other Tuscan producers and had the idea of coining the term “supertuscan”. With this word, we identify red wines produced in Tuscany that do not, on purpose, respect the traditional rules of preparation of the region, but use other types of grapes, especially cabernet sauvignon, in addition to or instead of the traditional Sangiovese and therefore not they can be classified as DOCG products. With the help of master winemaker Franco Bernabei, they made a wine using
Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes used for the wines come from about 200 hectares (500
acres) under vine in Maremma, Colline Pisane and Colli Fiorentini, as well as a few areas in Chianti.
Most recent awards
- 2017 | James Suckling91/100
- 2016 | Wine Enthusiast88/100
- 2016 | Luca Maroni88/100
- 2013 | Wine Spectator88/100
Grape Varieties:
85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot
Fermentation container:
Stainless steel
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
15-20 days
Type of yeast:
Selected
Fermentation temperature:
25 °C (77 °F)
Length of maceration:
15-20 days
Malolactic fermentation:
Yes
Aging containers:
Oak
Container size:
Barrels, barrique
Container age:
At least 10-20% of the French barrique is new, while the rest is second use. Slavonian barrels are 5-6 years old.
Type of oak:
80% Slavonian barrels, 20% barrique
Aging in bottle:
1 year
Closure:
Natural Cork/Screwcap
Vineyard location:
Maremma, Colline Pisane, Colli Fiorentini, Chianti
Soil composition:
Calcareous clay, galestro
Vine training:
Guyot
Altitude:
820-1,500 feet above sea level
Yield:
60hL per hectare
Total yearly production (in bottles):
1,200,000
Tasting notes:
A Tuscan classic! Deep ruby red with garnet reflections, it boasts elegant aromas of leather, black cherry, licorice and plum. The palate is medium to full-bodied with flavors of ripe red fruit, goût de terroir, and subtle notes of vanilla and violet; silk texture with soft tannins, a firm backbone, the perfect integration between acidity and fruit, and a pleasant finish.
Serving temperature:
Best at 16-18 °C (60.8-64.4 °F).
Food pairings:
Wonderful with pasta, risotto, structured dishes, meat and cheese; extremely versatile and food-friendly.
Alcohol:
Alcohol cont. 13% by volume; dry extract: 29.5 g/l; total acidity: 5.80 g/l; residual sugar: 2.85 g/l; pH: 3.36
Winemaker:
Franco Bernabei and Neil Empson