“Solaia” Toscana IGT 2023 · 3 bottles in OWC

Marchesi Antinori | Tenuta Tignanello | Tuscany
Marchesi Antinori S.p.A. | Piazza Antinori 3 | IT 50123 Firenze

09183423 · 2,25 l · 523,11 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shipping5 units available

The Solaia vineyard is situated in the sunniest part of the Tignanello hill: 20 hectares facing south-west, at an altitude of 350 to 400 metres, with stony soil consisting of hard limestone and flaky calcareous clay. In 1346, the estate belonged to the Buondelmonti family; later, a collateral branch of the Medici family gave it the name Fonte dei Medici, and in the mid-19th century it was acquired by the Antinori family, who have been making wine for 26 generations since 1385. In the 1970s, the hill became a testing ground for new winemaking techniques and new grape varieties, foremost among them Cabernet. In 1978, the family produced the first Solaia, made from 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc, and followed the same recipe the following year. Subsequently, 20% Sangiovese was added, and the ratio of the two Cabernet varieties was adjusted until the current blend was established. Solaia is produced only in exceptional vintages; it was not produced in 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984 or 1992.

The 2023 harvest began in the first few days of October with the Sangiovese and ended on 13 October with the Cabernet Sauvignon. The destemmed, sorted and gently crushed harvestflowed by gravity into 60-hectolitre truncated cone-shaped fermentation tanks; malolactic fermentation took place in barriques that had been used twice or three times. The wine then matured for around 15 months in new barrels, all made of French oak, and the separately matured batches were only blended together at the end and returned to the wood once more.

An intense ruby red with purplish highlights. The bouquet offers ripe wild berries, blackberry, blueberry and blackcurrant, along with plum and fig, spicy notes of pepper and balsamic hints of liquorice. Rich and lively on the palate, with silky tannins. The long finish ends with notes of bitter cocoa and coffee, rather than a pleasing sweetness. This is the hallmark of a vineyard slope that receives the most sunshine yet does not flaunt it in the glass. SUPERIORE.DE

"A deep, dark ruby red with a dark core. On the nose, it initially offers notes of dark chocolate, cheese rind and ginger root, followed by ripe blackcurrant and ripe plum, as well as warm smoke and a hint of precious wood. It opens on the palate with a delicate sweetness, embedded in subtle woody aromas, closely interwoven with pronounced acidity; it currently still seems a little rough around the edges – best to lay it down and enjoy it to the full in a few years' time." Falstaff

"Cabernet and Sauvignon combine to create a bouquet of blackcurrants, herbs, undergrowth and liquorice; the attack is multi-faceted, with powdery tannins and acidity in harmony, and the final is opulent yet elegant." Vinum

"A sheen of new oak wraps around flavors of black cherry, blackberry, plum, mineral and vanilla. There's fine depth, a supple texture and dense, well-rounded tannins for support. Beautifully balanced and long; give this three to five years to shed its youthful exuberance. Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc." Wine Spectator

"The 2023 Solaia has gained a measure of weight since I first tasted it a few months ago. Inky dark fruit, crème de cassis, blackberry, graphite and dried herbs soar from the glass. Cabernet Sauvignon speaks with notable eloquence and character. There's gorgeous purity and restraint here." Vinous

"A big Solaia with lots of fruit and spices as well as mint and spearmint. Aromatic. Full-bodied with lots of fruit and chewy tannins. Muscular and juicy for a modern Solaia. Needs three to four years of age to come together." James Suckling

"Solaia sings in 2023. It's supremely vertical with already-integrated sandy tannins, its tall frame adorned with crunchy, sapid forest berries, chocolate, menthol, iodine and floral top notes. Generous and finessed, it's drinking surprisingly well at this early stage and will continue to prosper for the next two decades at least." Decanter