2014 Giusti ‘Antonio’ Tenuta Aria Valentina Rosso Veneto IGT, Italy
Score: 91+/100
The ‘Antonio’ cuvée by Giusti is a red IGT wine from the Veneto region of Northern Italy (under the IGT Rosso del Veneto appellation).
It is made from a blend selection of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Recantina grapes from the winery’s Tenuta Aria Valentina estate, grown on typical clay and iron-rich soils of the Montello.
Each grape varietal is harvested and vinified separately in stainless steel tanks (harvest from the last week of September (Merlot) to the first ten days of October (Cabernet and Recantina).
Antonio is matured in used oak barrels (previously used for the refining dell’Umberto 1) for 12 to 14 months.
Alcohol content 13.5 % abv. Approx.
Overall Tasting Notes & Impressions
A very dark-looking red wine, with a nearly black appearance, an intense red filled with captivating purple hues.
The nose is equally captivating, feeling utterly ripe and generous.
Aromas of blackberry and dark juicy cherry dominate the profile, but they’re deepen by intense notes of dark and sweet spices: clove, nutmeg, licorice, and vanilla.
A clear herbal mintiness comes through as well, bringing out some lightness in this world of intensity and depth in the smell.
The palate is extremely soft, featuring smooth velvety tannins coated in a generously oily body. But the solid acidity underlines the freshness of dominant fruit flavors, dark but acidic cherry, ripe blackberry. A sense of peppery spiciness, many herbal licorice, thyme, and basil notes.
The influence of oak is obvious, but extremely well integrated, adding notes of dark chocolate, caramel, and discrete vanilla as well as a wealth of clove and sweet spices.
A Conslusion?
An extremely complex and deep red wine.
It surprises and teases your tastes buds with a different sensation for every second of tasting. Herbs, ripe red berry fruit, subtle oakiness and plenty of spices are packed up in a generously-bodied wine delivering a world of smoothness and warm generosity.
Enjoy 🙂
Please let me know your thoughts