Marchesi Antinori Solaia 2019

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.

"The Marchesi Antinori 2019 Solaia is another blockbuster success from Tuscany's leading wine estate. The blend sees a slightly higher percentage of Cabernet Franc and a slightly lower percentage of Sangiovese. The current mix is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Sangiovese and 10% Cabernet Franc (which has been creeping up in recent years, especially as the climate changes). The soils at the Solaia vineyard are rich in Galestro rock, which is an especially happy pairing with Cabernet Franc in particular. Managing Director Renzo Cotarella tells me that that a vintage like 2019 is proof that the final character of a wine comes from its surrounding territory, not from the blend. This is a generous and extremely expressive edition with lots of dark fruit, spice and sweet tobacco. The tannins are beautifully velvety and soft. This is a beautiful wine that collectors will love." - Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate (6/30/2022), Rating: 97, Drink: 2024-2050

"The 2019 Solaia is fabulous. Deep and exquisitely layered, the 2019 is so expressive right out of the gate. Succulent dark cherry, plum, licorice, incense, pipe tobacco, chocolate and grilled herbs all take shape. Here, too, the aromatics are alluring. Cabernet Franc is bumped up a bit in the blend, and that works so well here. Solaia is often a bombastic, intense wine. The 2019 is incredibly refined and buttoned up. Readers will have to be patient. The 2019 Solaia is the sort of wine I would like to spend a whole evening with. Aging was 18 months in 100% new French oak." - Antonio Galloni, Vinous (2/2022), Ratings: 97, Drink: 2027-2044

''Love the depth and restrained power on display here. Made for leisurely drinking over a few hours. Cocoa powder, liqourice, blueberry, smoked herbs and raspberry fruits. Tannins have texture and grip, highlighting a lemongrass and slate roughness to the finish, all given definition by a fennel, almost hoppy bitterness on the finish. The Antinori family, with director Stefano Carpaneto are making the most of a superb vintage with this wine, highly recommended, especially with an extra few years in bottle before opening.'' Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux (07/02/2022) Ratings: 98 Drink: 2025-2042