Solaia 2022 Antinori

Tasting Notes

First impression: concentration; the 2022 Solaia leads with black currant and dark cherry fruit, along with graphite, tobacco leaf and savory, almost iron notes of Alberese soil. On the palate, the tannins are firm and fine-grained. Sour cherry notes of Sangiovese break through the heaviness of the Cabernet. Long finish with notes of cedar from the oak. This is a wine made for the cellar.

Grape Varieties

The Solaia blend is traditionally

• About 75% Cabernet Sauvignon gives structure and graphite character.
• About 20% Sangiovese gives acidity and Tuscan cherry character.
• About 5% Cabernet Franc: floral and peppery character.

So why this particular blend in the realm of Chianti Classico? Because Sangiovese can be austere on its own. Cabernet adds pulp and graphite, while Franc adds aromatics. Tuscany is the heart, Bordeaux the structure.

Cellaring Potential

Drink between 2028 and 2045; the 2022 Solaia has tannin grip and concentration that requires patience. Firm now; in five years cedar, tobacco and dark fruit will start to integrate; store horizontally at 12-14°C; open the bottle in 2032 to see how it progresses; store in the cellar until 2045.

The Producer

The Antinori family has been making wine since 1385, but a very recent development is important here: in the 1970s Piero Antinori broke Chianti norms and released Tignanello (1971), a Cabernet blend, and Solaia (1978), a Cabernet-dominated wine. The first two wines were released in 1971 and 1978 respectively. Both became "Super Tuscany." And both helped redefine Italian wine. Today, with Renzo Cotarella as head winemaker and Piero's daughter Albiera as president, Antinori is still making wine their way. We believe this is why their wines continue to be benchmarks.

Terroir & Climate

The Solaia vineyard is located next to the Tenuta Tignanello winery in Mercatale Val di Pesa, in the Chianti Classico zone. The vineyard's name means "sunny" and its southwestern exposure at 350-400 meters above sea level explains why. The soils are alberese (calcareous marl) and galestro (schistose loose clay). Why it matters. Limestone gives Cabernet Sauvignon the structure and freshness needed for warmer climates, and the higher altitude means cooler nights. Greater diurnal variation, slower ripening and aromatic complexity. That's the formula.

Winemaking

Solaia is aged in French oak barriques (small 225-liter barrels from Bordeaux) for about 18 months. Fermentation is first carried out in stainless steel to preserve the purity of the fruit and allow Antinori to precisely control the extraction. The wine is then transferred to barrels where new oak adds cedar and vanilla without reducing the acidity of the Sangiovese. After bottling, the wine is aged for another year before release. This is why Solaia is not raw but refined at release.

Food Pairing

Cabernet tannins call for fat and char. Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Tuscan chianina beef bone-in) is the obvious answer and very tasty. But there's more to it than that:

• Wild boar ragout with pappardelle.
• Braised Tuscan Beef Peposo with black pepper.
• Aged Pecorino Toscano, salty and rich.

Serve at 17-18°C. Decant at least 2 hours before serving.