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Named after June Townsend, who sold her 40-acre ranch to the Antinori family in 1998, the Townsend Vineyard sits high on a west-facing ridgeline overlooking Rector Canyon on Atlas Peak. Planted in 1999 and 2000 on shallow, volcanic soils at high elevation, it is widely considered the crown jewel of the estate.The 2021 growing season was marked by dry winter conditions and lower natural yields, producing small, concentrated berries with rich flavor intensity and excellent natural acidity. The winery calls it “a wine of precision, balancing generous fruit and fine-textured tannins with freshness and lift, while emphasizing structure, elegance, and sophistication.” The wine’s firm structure, focused dark fruit, and savory volcanic minerality make this an ideal match for prime cuts of grilled beef—such as a dry-aged ribeye or Florentine-style T-bone—as well as braised venison, roasted rack of lamb with rosemary, or aged hard cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano and Peccorino.
The Antinori family’s winemaking legacy traces back to 1385, when Giovanni di Piero Antinori joined the Florentine Winemakers’ Guild in Tuscany. With over six centuries and 26 generations of continuous family ownership, Marchesi Antinori stands as one of the oldest wine producers in history.
Marchese Piero Antinori first visited Napa Valley in 1966, recognizing the potential of high-elevation mountain sites. That vision materialized in 1985 with the acquisition of a 1,200-acre property in the Vaca Mountain Range. Located in the Atlas Peak appellation, the estate features 550 acres of vineyards planted at elevations reaching up to 1,800 feet. Sitting high above the fog line, the vines benefit from direct sunlight, well-draining volcanic soils, and cooling air currents sweeping off San Francisco Bay—conditions that foster a long, gradual ripening period.
Today, the company is led by the 27th generation: Piero’s three daughters—Albiera, Allegra, and Alessia Antinori. Under their stewardship, the estate transitioned from its former brand identity, Antica, to Antinori Napa Valley, signalling a deliberate shift toward micro-lot, site-specific winemaking.
Following extensive replanting with tighter vine spacing and updated clonal selections, winemaker Marla Carroll utilizes a custom cave facility built in 2018. Equipped with small four-ton fermentation tanks, the cellar allows individual hillside parcels to be picked and vinified separately. This precision approach yields small-production, block-designated wines—such as the single-vineyard Townsend Cabernet Sauvignon and Proficio—that apply centuries of Tuscan expertise to produce high-altitude Napa wines defined by structure, balance, and quiet refinement.
| Country | USA |
| Region | California |
| Appellation(s) | Napa Valley |
| Sub-Ava | Atlas Peak |
| Winery | Antinori Napa Valley |
| Vintage | 2021 |
| Color | Red |
| Varietal(s) | 98% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc |
| Closure | Cork |
| Volume | 750ml |
| Bottle Size | 8.2 x 31.0 |
| Case Size | 31.5 x 29.0 x 19.0 |
| Alcohol | 14.2% |
| Product Code | AN21NCB |
| UPC | 850049394017 |
96 points – James Suckling; 93 points – James Dunnuck.
Aromas of blackberry, cassis, and cracked white pepper evolve into nuances of dark cherry, dried violets, and crushed volcanic rock. The palate is full-bodied, delivering layers of dark wild berries, graphite, and subtle savory spice. Fine-grained tannins frame the mid-palate before a long, clean finish with lifted acidity and subtle hints of menthol and cedar.
Harvested in the early morning, the fruit was destemmed and gravity-fed into individual four-ton fermentation tanks to vinify small vineyard parcels separately. The wine aged in 60% new French oak barrels.