Antica Napa Valley
It feels strange to use the word “low” in the context of Antica. For one thing, the estate sits at 1,800 feet elevation atop Atlas Peak, making it one of the highest points in Napa. And its global wine-mogul owners, the Antinori family, are not known for modesty: Their 67,000-square-foot flagship estate in Chianti Classico, as one example, resembles a Frank Gehry opus. Antica (an amalgamation of “Antinori” and “California”) is plenty dramatic, too, with breathtaking views of sloping vineyards and an enormous barrel cave lined with an imposing layer of black mold. (It’s harmless, and Italians consider it something of an accomplishment.)
But, at $40, “low” accurately represents the cost of a tour, wine tasting and food pairing at Antica, especially given how special the experience is. I’d pay $40 just for the view. Following a tour of the property, your party will be seated either on the outdoor patio or, if the weather isn’t so agreeable, at the counter in the kitchen — which feels cozy and informal, as if you were in someone’s home. Longtime Antica employee Kim Wiss serves as both the winery’s consumer/trade manager and its chef; chatting with her is just as enjoyable as eating her food.
The tasting includes four wines — on a recent day, the lineup consisted of Antica’s butterscotch-laced 2014 “A26” Chardonnay ($55/bottle); the bright, spicy 2013 Sangiovese ($35); the brambly, rustic 2013 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($60); and the expansive, chocolaty, black-fruited 2013 Townsend Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($110). In typical Italian style, you’ll enjoy a platter of cheese, olives, salumi, nuts and fruit — with all the bread and olive oil you could ever want — and end with a little bit of chocolate. Depending on what she’s got in the kitchen, Wiss often whips up some crostini too. The portions still won’t constitute lunch, but they feel plenty generous as a snack.
You won’t see any worksheets about wine and food pairing chemistry here. Rather, the pleasure of Antica is a quintessentially Italian one: simple food, warm conversation, delicious wine.
Tasting fee $40. 3700 Soda Canyon Road, Napa. (707) 257-8700. www.anticanapavalley.com Tours at 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Mon.-Fri., by appointment. Maximum group size is eight.