We were going to see Yan Pascal Tortelier conduct Stravinsky's The Firebird Suite. For those unfamiliar with the ballet story: The Firebird, Prince Ivan, takes on the evil ogre Kastchei in this tale. When Ivan waves the magic feather, the Firebird appears and leads him to victory. The composer Stravinsky paints an image in the listener's head so vivid that one can imagine the story as though they were watching dancers on stage and the ballet unfolding before them.
I had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to open Antinori's California project Antica from the historic 2007 vintage. I felt this wine would be a perfect accompaniment to the performance. Old world meets new world to create a magical experience. To celebrate this piece of musical creativity we decided to drink Antica prior to the performance.
Magical indeed; this wine was stunning! Vanilla and cigar box as well as currant appeared on the nose and the glass was filled with an inky dark purple wine that looked like a fine and rare gem. On the tongue the liquid danced around with flavors of anise and dark cherries. A smooth and seductive finish left me yearning for more and anticipating the next dance with the beautiful bottle.
2006 was the first year that Antica would dawn its name, a combination of Antinori and California. But it was a project long overdue as Piero Antinori had dreamed of a chance to create a wine from the California hillside. Piero first visited California in the 60's and had always imagined he would return to make this wine.
This is a gem for the cellar and a time honored wine-making family. I feel lucky I have another bottle!
2007 Antica Cabernet Sauvignon - 94 RP
If you are interested in purchasing this wine, please call 800.946.3947 for availability.