Marchesi Antinori Solaia 2015

Few Italian wines have as sterling a reputation as Solaia.  Solaia is the gold standard of Super Tuscan.  For those who love a richly dense wine that sings a symphony of fruit, floral, and herbal aromas – look no further than this monumental wine.  Super Tuscan was a term coined to identify a new category of red wines from Tuscany, one that differs from other Tuscan wines (like Chianti) by blending in grapes that are not indigenous to Italy.

The Chianti region experienced more than its fair share of troubles after World War II.  Quality of the wines was low.  But some vigneri wanted more.  Marchesi Antinori was one of them.  Considered one of the Godfathers of the Super Tuscan movement that took the world by storm in the 1970s and 1980s, Marchesi Antinori comes from a family with a long line of winemakers dating back to the 14th century.  He was one of the originals who decided to break the rules of only using indigenous varietals (like Sangiovese) to make red wines.  Instead, he and his cohorts embraced the non-indigenous grape varietals, grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, which are famously used by winemakers in Bordeaux to perfection.

These non-indigenous grapes were actually well-suited to the Tuscan climate and had their own unique expressiveness due to the richly distinctive Italian terroir just outside the Chianti district.  Though the bureaucracy overseeing Italian wine legislation initially balked at such an idea and classified these wines as vino di tavola – or “table wine,” Marchesi would not let this insult deter him from producing a world-class red wine, powerful enough to compare with the grand vin of Bordeaux.  Through the pioneering success of Tignanello and Solaia, the new style of red wines from Tuscany won the world over.  Thus, the “Super Tuscan” was born!

The sunniest part of Tiganello’s estate is where the Solaia vineyard rests.  Only the choicest parcels are reserved for this wine.  The grapes are tended to with utmost care and precision prior to being vinified in this unique blend.  The vines rest on a steeply sloping hillside mixed with limestone and schist soils.  There is a deep bed of clay, and the vines are able to draw water from them during drought-ridden years.  They enjoy warmer temperatures during the day, and cooler temperatures at night.  In addition to foreign varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, some indigenous Sangiovese vines are also planted.  The Antinori family brings a mixture of traditional Italian know-how with a spirit of innovation to making Solaia.  It is fermented in conical wood vats to preserve the wine’s softness, and aged in French oak barriques.  The goal is to create a wine with power and well-integrated tannins.

Solaia is one of the tastemakers in Italy and considered one of the most influential wines to come out of that region.  The wine cemented the Antinori family's reputation as one of the leaders of Italian viticulture. They have now expanded to be present globally, recently setting their sights on Napa and producing world-class wines including the Antica A26 Chardonnay and their single vineyard Townsend Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.  Considered by Decanter Magazine to be “a cellaring classic,” Solia is a benchmark wine with great length, intensity and ageing potential.

"There is a magical infinity, a continuous loop of compatibilities, between the icon wines of Tuscany and the 2015 vintage. The stunning 2015 Solaia is solid evidence of this perfect alignment. This was a warm vintage that shows less favorably in my opinion in different parts of Italy and with other grapes that render their most elegant performances in the cooler vintages. I would put pure expressions of Nebbiolo and Sangiovese in this category. However, Tuscany and many of her great blended reds (made partially or fully with international grapes) operate according to a different logic. To me, their maximum expression comes when you can taste that Tuscan sunshine beaming from within. Its rays are brilliant and warm. They shine across the senses with opulence and intensity. The very name Solaia evokes the concept of sunshine and this unique Tuscan wine archetype I am referring to. With the 2015 vintage, Solaia is liquid sunshine not just in name but also in fact. The bouquet is immediately soft and sensual with dark fruit, spice and sweet tobacco. The mouthfeel shows intensity and power, but you don't get any heavy residue from the dry extract (measured at 33 grams per liter). Indeed, the wine feels glossy, tonic and fresh. It is composed of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with Sangiovese and a tiny part Cabernet Franc. There is a bit of crunch or snap that comes thanks to the more acidity-prone Sangiovese grape (the wine measures 3.5 in pH). Finally, the tannins are beautifully sweet and ripe. This wine is meticulously executed, and the 2015 vintage lives up to an ideal of what we imagine Solaia to be." - Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate, Rating: 100, Drink: 2020-2050

 "The 2015 Solaia is fabulous. Créme de cassis, lavender, cedar, tobacco, grilled herbs and blackberry jam are all vivid in the glass.  Explosive and yet also wonderfully nuanced for such a big wine. the 2015 Solaia has it all going on.  Here, too, Antinori's move to give the wines more energy really comes through.  The 2015 is simply a magical wine with a bright, bright future." - Antonio Galloni, Vinous (7/2018), Ratings: 98, Drink: 2023-2040