It's Harvest Season!

Autumn has arrived and with that, comes the close of the grape harvest season.  Harvesting is the most important and crucial element of good winemaking and good wine is the crucial to great wine drinking!  Most harvesting (north of the equator) begins as early as late summer with some late harvest wine grapes ripening through the end of October.  One of my favorite wines of Tuscany, comes from Marchesi Antinori..."Tignanello," the first Sangiovese to be aged in oak barrels and blended with Cabernet Sauvignon.  We had the great pleasure of spending a little time with the barrels of Antinori and tasting more of their great wines.

One of the most beautiful wineries in all the world.  Marchesi Antinori, Tuscany, Italia.

Jeff and Marcello inspected the vines and the bottles, and afterwards, we were invited for a great tasting, and most incredible 6 course lunch.  Halfway through Jeff was wondering how much this lovely lunch was going to cost, and naturally, I had no idea.  Let me just say, that it was perhaps one of the most incredible lunches, served with the most magnificent wines of Tuscany...and... the most expensive meal we have ever had...a once in a lifetime experience!

Antinori joined the winemakers guild in 1385 and produces a multitude of wine varieties, from it's light and crisp "Villa Antinori Bianco" (Pinot Grigio dominant) to its well-known "Peppoli" (Chianti) and rich Pian delle Vigne (Brunello), Marchesi Antinori has a flavor for every palate.  

Jeff and Marcello (Antinori's chief vintner) checking for ripeness.