Just a stunningly gorgeous wine–something I find surprising considering its massive production, low-brow marketing and the fact this bottle spent its entire life upright on a Rite Aid shelf, probably the top one! We all have had wines straight from the winery cellar which were solid DECADES after those out in private collections started failing, so one can only wonder what THIS would be like with perfect provenance. Slightly bricking, dusty green notes atop ripe berry and–of course–a certain funk. Melon and peach fill the nose of considerable tertiary: flat out one of those wines you could just SMELL forever.

It’s tired–don’t get me wrong–but before the fruit starts bottoming out in the air it shows a rare kind of beauty. Raunchy dust and velvety acid coat the palate, the berry crystalized down into gritty sparkles the tongue tries desperately to shed. It gets richer and more powerful deep into the middle, finally sending waves of tannin across the mouth, where ripe pomegranate and cherry hold court. The ‘cherry’ could even be described as “pie” in this instance: so green and youthful the fruit feels. In Rite-Aid’s and CVS’ constant need to tweak their once-stellar wine selection toward the least-discerning of consumers, these had to go, and you’d hate me if I told you what I paid for them.

2012 MARCHESI ANTINORI ‘Villa Antinori’ Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG Italy 13.5

www.antinori.it/en/