Scaia Bianca 2021 – Sant’Antonio.

A lovely Italian white wine this time, for us, a perfect preparation for a warm spring or summer day. We tasted a nice white blend by Tenuta Sant’Antonio, Scaia Bianca consisting of Garganega and Chardonnay.

Tenuta Sant’Antonio is a winery that already earned its stripes, with lots of Decanter, Falstaff, Jancis Robinson and other awards for their wines! Located in the heart of Veneto, grapes sure do get enough sun and rain, and the Castagnedi family knows how to handle them. A winery who you might know of their marvelous Amarones and stunning Valpolicella’s. But the four brothers and their father expanded the winery several times and came up with the Scaia brand, delivering an affordable wine with a priceless taste.

About the Winery

Tenuta Sant’Antonio is located in Veneto, Italy, on the east-side of lake Garda. Run by the four Castagnedi brothers, who bought 30 hectares of vineyards back in 1989, and their father. The family now owns a stunning 50 hectares of vineyards in Veneto. Their vineyards are situated in the chalky hills of Illasi and Mezzane valley, at heights between 120-320 meters. Mostly planted with Corvinone, Corvina, Rondinella and Cabernet Sauvignon for red and Garganega, Trebbiano di Soave and Chardonnay for whites. The family also produces Amarone, Valpolicella and Soave. The Scaia brand was started in 2004. And after a lot of winemaking and experimenting with Amarone and Valpolicella for instance, you can taste the craftsmanship of these men in their wines.

About the Wine

A fine blend of Garganega and Chardonnay. When we pour the wine, it seems a bit light and does not have a lot of color. Pale yellow with a minimal golden kiss on the outside. The nose gives us a lot more to think of. Before pouring the wine in our glass, we can already smell hints of grapefruit, kiwi and lime, and then it is still standing on the table! Giving us the impression of a fresh and vibrant clean wine. After pouring the wine in our glass it reveals a lot of flavors and intense smell of exotic fruit such as pineapple, passionfruit and lychee. But also shows a lot of depth with hidden smells of grapefruit, orange zest and fresh yogurt. 

When we taste the wine, which is really a mouth full of fun by the way, we can taste hints of citrus and lime, as well as some slight bitter almonds and grapefruit in the aftertaste, but well balanced. Packed with ripe exotic fruit, but also a bit of a white peppery, fresh mint kick in the middle. A light perfume and a bit of dried apricot in the finish makes the wine complete. Medium to long finish and definitely fresh and chalky in the middle. 

 

Conclusion:

Chardonnay in harmony with Garganega. Very fun wine to drink, on a sunny terrace but also in a food pairing with some nice scallops for instance. Widely usable and definitely worth trying, at a very strong price. We award this wine with a 91 point DWA score.

This review is written by our own Martijn Coenen. This Scaia Bianca and other wines by Tenuta Sant’Antonio are available through Bovino.

Price:                          €13,20

Taste date:                May 2023

Score:                         91/100 DWA Score

Website:                    Tenuta Sant’Antonio