It wasn’t that long ago that Antinori’s Santa Cristina reds almost always proved disappointing, being one-dimensional and generic. They’ve changed significantly, and quality has definitely risen, as this Sangiovese demonstrates. The wine is fairly light-bodied, but offers more than satisfactory fruit and spice flavors, with a dusty edge muting its sweetness. Most impressive, it finishes long on the palate, something that few $12 reds can manage to do. At that price, it’s a veritable steal.
Antinori, Toscana Rosso IGT (Tuscany, Italy) Sangiovese 2009
By Paul Lukacs