Regular Price $82.00, Brave New World Price $49.99, Brave New World Six-Bottle Special $276/$46 per bottle

When Piero Antinori, scion of Tuscany’s iconic ‘First Family of Wine,’ first invested in vineyard land high atop distant Atlas Peak, it was with an eye on growing Sangiovese that would rival the family’s own grown in the heart of Chianti. Alas, it didn’t work out as planned. After over a decade of struggling to establish Sangio in one of the highest altitude vineyard sites in the Napa Valley, the Antinoris finally came to the realization that it was simply the wrong grape in the wrong place. But, at the same time, they discovered that the Chardonnay, the grape they had planted at the coolest, highest parts of the massive vineyard property, was perfect! The old heritage and Dijon clones they chose to plant up there at 1500 feet produced wines with incredible character and verve. In fact, as the climate has changed and made natural acidity in Chardonnay an even more precious commodity, the Antica (as the Atlas Peak property came to be called) Chardonnay fell more and more into the sweet spot that balances freshness with fruit. Now in their third iteration, Antinori Napa Valley has leaned into their strongest wine and created a reserve-level Chardonnay they call A26 (after Piero’s three Antinori daughters whose names begin with A and the 26 generations of winemaking behind them). Representing less than 10% of the Chardonnay they grow, A26 is truly an amazing achievement and, with apologies to Chateau Montelena, El Molino and Stony Hill, one of the best up-Valley Napa Chardonnays you will ever taste! Of course these are Chardonnay grapes that get the royal treatment. Whole cluster crushed, fermented in gorgeous new French oak barrels and half allowed to go through natural malo-lactic fermentation in wood, it’s a plush, luxurious Chardonnay with the perfect backbone of fresh, minerally acidity. If it were Burgundy, it would be Corton-Charlemagne! We loved its intensity and how it manages to deliver all that lovely character without any excess weight, obvious wood or pushy alcohol. The nose is built around honeysuckle, Bosc pear, fresh-baked croissant, grilled pineapple and lemony crème brulée with woodsy spice and skinned hazelnut in supporting roles. Satisfyingly big on the palate, it’s on the finish where the breed of this impressive California Chardonnay comes to the fore. Seeing as how it’s from a producer with its heart in Italy, this is an unabashedly Californian Chardonnay- in every single good way I can name! The price on this offer, well, it’s like we keep saying. It’s a Brave New World out there and when these deals come our way, we have to take advantage! We have only a limited amount available at this price and when it’s gone, the new vintage will arrive at the regular price of $82. Please take advantage…..