Deep, rich color; intense and lush with concentrated fruit but good acid structure as well. Balanced, complex, and smooth with a lasting finish.
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Most of the historic producers of Valpolicella are located on the western side of the denomination, but the Valpolicella district stretches east across several hills and valleys almost to Soave, and it is in this eastern zone that some new, exciting, and innovative wineries have been established in recent decades. The soils in the eastern Valpolicella have a higher component of calcium carbonate, which imparts a higher acidity and bolder cherry fruit character to the wines.
Antonio Castagnedi was a winegrower in the Illasi Valley of eastern Valpolicella in the late 20th century who left 50 acres of vineyards to his four sons. The brothers Armando, Tiziano, Paolo, and Massimo worked as consultants for other wine estates in Italy and continued to grow grapes on their inherited land in Colognola ai Colli, but had bigger dreams. In 1989, they took the next step, buying another 75 acres of top-quality vineyard land on the high terrain of Monti Garbi (also in eastern Valpolicella) and making the leap into wine production as a family. The first vintage of Tenuta Sant’Antonio came in 1995.
Tenuta Sant’Antonio Valpolicellas are made from 100% estate-grown fruit from the Illasi Valley and Monti Garbi. With their considerable combined winegrowing experience, the Castagnedi brothers devote meticulous attention to their high-density, low-yield vineyards to provide grapes of such exceptional quality that they require minimal intervention during winemaking. At harvest time, the grapes for Amarone are harvested on a first pass through the vineyards, and those for the regular Valpolicella are harvested on the second pass. In this way, the basic Valpolicella gets a portion of the best grapes and is an exceptional value for the price. Also, because the Amarone is harvested earlier, the grapes’ sugar level is lower, so the alcohol level of the Amarone is not excessive. This strategy also dictates that Tenuta Sant’Antonio makes Amarone only in years when the overall harvest quality is high enough to support making the full Valpolicella lineup.
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LOCATIONWINERY: Lavagno (Verona province), Veneto VINEYARD: Eastern Valpolicella and Soave areas, Veneto VIEW IN GOOGLE MAPS REGION DETAILS |
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94
APRIL 2020
Tenuta Sant’Antonio "Campo dei Gigli" Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2015
![]() Deep, rich color; intense and lush with concentrated fruit but good acid structure as well. Balanced, complex, and smooth with a lasting finish. 94
OCTOBER 2021
Tenuta Sant’Antonio "Campo dei Gigli" Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2010
![]() Lots of silky, sweet black-fruit and lead-pencil minerals here. Full-bodied with still lightly firm, fruit-soaked tannins and a long, controlled finish that introduces some orange-peel freshness. Delicious now, but will go on. 94
FEBRUARY 2024
Tenuta Sant’Antonio “Antonio Castagnedi” Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2019
![]() The 2019 Amarone della Valpolicella Antonio Castagnedi is darkly alluring, with a seductive blend of black cherries and crushed violet candies giving way to a dusting of cocoa. This is silky smooth, nearly creamy yet lifted in feel, with ripe red fruits contrasted by a tinge of bitter balsamic spice. This tapers off with youthful tension, leaving a coating of grippy tannins that are nicely offset by a bump of residual acidity. There’s lovely balance within the 2019 that makes this an excellent option for the dinner table but will also promote aging. It clocks in at just 15% alcohol as well. Gorgeous. 91
JANUARY 2021
Tenuta Sant'Antonio “Monti Garbi” Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore DOC 2017
![]() “Ripasso, or repassed, describes the process in which a dry Valpolicella wine that goes through a second fermentation with the skins and seeds of a recently fermented Amarone, made from dried grapes. It gives this wine its richness and dried fruit aromas. It has a light ruby color with orange notes. Fresh floral aromas, roses, savory sweet/sour flavors, crisp mouthwatering savory, saline cherry, strawberry fruit is intense and lively in the mouth, finishing with sturdy, yet smooth tannins.” 95
FEBRUARY 2024
Tenuta Sant’Antonio "Campo dei Gigli" Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2018
![]() Remarkably pretty, yet dark and intense, the 2018 Amarone della Valpolicella Campo dei Gigli bursts from the glass with dusty notes of dried roses, balsamic spice, tobacco, dark chocolate and dried black cherries. Seamless and elegant in style, this envelops the palate with ripe red and blue fruits, taking on a bitter tinge of mocha and espresso toward the close. It finishes long and staining, with a coating of fine-grained tannins that adds a classically dry impression while minty herbal tones maintain freshness. This transcends the 2018 vintage, yet patience will be required. 92
FEBRUARY 2024
Tenuta Sant'Antonio “Monti Garbi” Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore DOC 2021
![]() The 2021 Valpolicella Ripasso Monti Garbi is dark and attractive, with a blend of dusty dried flowers, exotic spices and dried black cherries smoldering up from the glass. This displays silky textures, balancing ripe wild berry fruits against saline minerals and a bitter tinge of sour orange. It tapers off long, leaving the mouth watering for more as rosy inner florals and hints of tart raspberry slowly fade. The savory Ripasso possesses a balance seldom seen. 95+
MARCH 2023
Tenuta Sant’Antonio "Campo dei Gigli" Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2017
![]() The 2017 Amarone della Valpolicella Campo dei Gigli is intense, like cracking open an ashen stone to find a bevy of dried black cherries, cinnamon sticks, incense and dried herbs. This is deeply textural with a balanced inner sweetness elevated by vibrant acidity as depths of tart red fruit balance and slowly saturates the palate in primary concentration. The 2017 finishes structured and dramatically long, begging for further cellaring, as a bitter tinge of currants and clove fade. Maybe splitting hairs, but I didn't believe that Tenuta Sant'Antonio could outdo their 2016 Campo dei Gigli, but over time the 2017 may be up to the task. 93
JUNE 2021
Tenuta Sant’Antonio "Campo dei Gigli" Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2016
![]() Very potent aromas of blackcurrants and toasted oak with hints of eucalyptus and black-cherry liqueur, following through to a full palate with firm tannins that drive the fruit on through the long finish. There’s a kind of raw, almost rough-and-ready character to this that’s a bit hard work now. Will even out with bottle age. One for the cellar. Try from 2024. |