Antonio Sanguineti, "Maestro"

	Toscana, Italia. (Multiple locations) 12 hectares.
	Antonio Sanguineti. (ahn-TOE-nee-oh sawn-gwee-NAY-tee)
	Antonio Sanguineti. (ahn-TOE-nee-oh sawn-gwee-NAY-tee)
	Antonio Sanguineti. (ahn-TOE-nee-oh sawn-gwee-NAY-tee)
	Hand-harvested. No irrigation.
	12,000 cases.
	Antonio Sanguineti has been part of the Small Vineyards family since 2002.

The first time you find yourself blazing along in the passenger seat of Antonio Sanguineti’s car, you should brace yourself–either for a bolt of fear or for an adrenaline rush (or both) unparalleled in your lifetime. In a nation famous for its invisible speed limits and outrageous drivers, Antonio is truly one of the fastest (to his credit, he’s also one of the best). The first time you try one of Antonio’s wines, you’ll realize how perfectly they match the man–bold, intelligent reds that simultaneously suggest control and grace. But his was not an easy road; as happens sometimes in Italian families, there was a disagreement about what to do with the Sanguineti family’s land. This happened while Antonio was still a young man and, in the end, it wound up being sold. Despite his love of wine, Antonio was left without a vineyard. As he recalls it, “I owned the knowledge, but not the land.” But the accomplished young winemaker, dubbed “Il Maestro” by his colleagues, was not to be deterred. He parlayed his wine knowledge into consulting work, and now trades his expertise for the right to select the best grapes from wonderful estates. Without the ongoing overhead of a estate, Antonio is able to produce truly outstanding wines for a modest price.