Antinori Santa Cristina Toscana IGT 2023

Antinori Santa Cristina Toscana IGT is a classic red wine from Tuscany, Italy, blending Sangiovese with a touch of Merlot and Syrah. It offers vibrant aromas of red cherries, plums, and a hint of violet, with a medium-bodied palate featuring fresh red fruits, soft tannins, and a smooth, elegant finish.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.

Type: Red Wine
Style: Medium-bodied, Fruit-driven, Approachable
Grape Varietal: Sangiovese with Merlot and Syrah
Tastes Like: Comparable to a soft, fruit-forward Merlot, but with the brighter acidity and savoury edge of Tuscan Sangiovese
Alcohol Percentage: 13%
Closure: Cork
Size: 750mL
Appellation: Toscana IGT
Region: Tuscany, Italy
Terroir: Hillside vineyards across central Tuscany, farmed under sustainable practice
Aging: A short period in oak before bottling, keeping the emphasis on fresh fruit
Serving Temperature: 16–18℃ – Serve slightly below room temperature

Antinori is one of the oldest and best known names in Italian wine, a Tuscan family estate with holdings across the region and a long record of shaping how Tuscan wine is understood, both within the traditional appellations and outside them.

Santa Cristina takes its name from the estate at Mercatale Val di Pesa in Chianti Classico and sits at the approachable end of the Antinori range. Built on Sangiovese with a proportion of Merlot and Syrah, it is bottled under the broad Toscana IGT designation, which allows the blend to draw on international varieties alongside the native grape. The style is deliberately open and fruit-driven, made to be drunk young rather than cellared.

Pasta: Perfect with tomato-based sauces, lasagne or pasta al ragù
Meat: Excellent with grilled sausages, roast pork or meatballs
Pizza: Pairs beautifully with margherita, salami or vegetable pizza
Salumi: Ideal with prosciutto, finocchiona and Tuscan cured meats

Pecorino Toscano: Firm and lightly salty, the local match for the wine
Parmigiano Reggiano: Nutty and umami-rich, softening the wine’s tannin
Caciotta Toscana: Mild and supple, complementing the wine’s red fruit
Provolone: Smooth and gently piquant, balancing the wine’s medium body

Salsicce e Fagioli all’Uccelletto (Tuscan Sausages with Beans)

Ingredients (Serves 4):

• 8 Italian pork sausages
• 500g cooked cannellini beans
• 400g tinned tomatoes, crushed
• 3 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
• 6 sage leaves
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and cracked black pepper
• Crusty bread, to serve

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a wide pan and brown the sausages on all sides over medium heat. Remove and set aside.
2. Add the garlic and sage leaves to the pan and cook briefly until fragrant, without letting the garlic colour.
3. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, season, and simmer for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
4. Stir through the cannellini beans and return the sausages to the pan.
5. Cover and cook gently for 20 minutes, turning the sausages once, until the beans have taken up the sauce.
6. Check the seasoning, adding plenty of cracked black pepper.
7. Rest for a few minutes off the heat and serve warm with crusty bread.

A staple of the Tuscan table, Salsicce e Fagioli all’Uccelletto is a natural partner for Santa Cristina. The wine’s fresh acidity and soft tannins cut through the richness of the sausage, while its red cherry fruit and gentle spice sit comfortably alongside the sage and tomato.