The aroma abounds with dark fruit, plums, coffee, vanilla and black pepper. Really soft on the tongue and perfectly balanced with hints of dark berries, licorice, spices, sweet tobacco and freshly roasted coffee with elegant, not overpowering tannins. An extremely expressive Solaia that collectors will love.
98 POINTS James Suckling
TOP 100 WINES OF ITALY 2023
Subtle and beautiful on the nose with currants, flowers and light sage aromas that follow through to a full body with ultra-fine tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Extremely polished and poised. Classy. Best after 2028.
97 POINTS Vinous
96 POINTS Robert Parker
The greatest care and attention was given both in the vineyards during the harvest and subsequently in the cellar. The grapes were destemmed, carefully selected on sorting tables, carefully crushed and then transferred by gravity to vats. It was imperative that only the finest berries reached the 60 Hl truncated cone fermentation tanks. During fermentation and maceration on the grape skins, it was important to maintain the right balance between fruity compounds and the quality of the tannins to best express the sweetness, fragrance, identity and character of Solaias. Immediately after racking, malolactic fermentation began in barriques, which increased the complexity of the wine. Aging took place in new French oak barrels for approximately 18 months. The different lots were aged separately and then mixed and poured into casks to complete the aging process.
The sunniest part of Tignanello’s hillside is home to the Solaia winery. The very best grapes from the very best vineyard. The other ingredients are passion, the utmost care, research and the finest Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Sangiovese grapes.
Solaia is a 20-hectare vineyard with a south-west exposure located at an altitude between 350-400 meters above sea level and with a stony soil of hard limestone and flaky, calcareous clay called “galestro”. The vineyard is located at the Tignanello estate. The Antinori family produced this wine for the first time in 1978, and the original blend was 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc, a formula that was also repeated in 1979. In the following years, 20% of Sangiovese was introduced and there certain adjustments were also made to the ratio of Cabernet Sauvignon to Cabernet Franc until the current blend was chosen. Solaia is only produced in exceptional vintages and was not produced in 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984 and 1992.
Tenuta Tignanello
Tenuta Tignanello is located in the heart of Chianti Classico, in the gently rolling hillsides between the Greve and Pesa river valleys. It covers an area of 319 hectares, of which 130 are dedicated to vines.
Two of the winery’s most prized vineyards are located on the same hillside – namely Tignanello and Solaia – on soils dating back to the Pliocene period and rich in limestone and shale. The vines enjoy warm temperatures during the day and cooler evenings throughout the growing season. Absolutely optimal conditions.
The winery’s two signature wines, Solaia and Tignanello, are produced from these vineyards and have been defined by the international press as among the most influential wines in the history of Italian viticulture. Local and original Sangiovese grapes grow here, as well as more unconventional varieties such as Cabernet Franc.
