The Great Super Tuscans: Solaia

Solaia 2003 ….. Purchase price: 132.30$ CAD

Dark ruby red with slight garnet edges. This wine needs 1-2 hours of decanting for it to open up. On the nose, the wine delivers wonderful aromas of brown sugar, licorice, blackberries, cooked rubarb as well as clear notes of forest underbrush and cedar. On the palate, there is a slight pleasing sweetness at the beginning followed by a quenching acidity that ends with an extremely long finish that lingers on and on. What can I say, this a really enjoyable wine worthy of its reputation.  93 points

BACKGROUND ON SOLAIA

Solaia is a wine that comes from a single vineyard from the Antinori estate of Tignanello located in the hills of Chianti Classico.  Its name derives itself from the Italian word “sole” meaning sun … a reflection of the vineyard’s strong exposure to the sun. Solaia’s first vintage was in 1978 making it one of the original Super Tuscans. Over the years, Solaia has gained the reputation as being one of the serious Tuscan wines … one that any serious wine lover should carry in their cellar. Indeed one of the great things about Solaia, is its ability to be cellared for a long period of time.

Since its conception in 1978 Solaia's labelling has never changed. Moreover, this grand wine is only produced in the best of vintages skipping those which are not deemed fit to live up to its reputation 

e.g. 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984 and 1992. 

As its producer Marchese Piero Antinori describes it, Solaia is the “opposite of Tignanello” made from a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 20% Sangiovese. It is aged for eighteen months in barrels of new French Oak, after which its component wines are blended, bottled and cellared for one year on the estate before release. Thus it takes 30 months from the moment of harvest to the time it is released.

What never ceases to amaze me about Solaia is the elegance and finesse found in its tannins. On the mouth it is so rich and dense. Despite the fact that it is made mainly French varietals, Solaia has such a significant Tuscan character.

The only sad thing about Solaia … is that like many of the great Super Tuscans, it has seen a great spike in its price nearing the 250$ CAD for a 750mL bottle. Indeed, it’s sad to see how such a great wine like this, which was once accessible to many, has become such a luxury item. However, one thing remains true, if you have the means of affording one of these babies along with the patience of waiting a few years before opening it … the reward of drinking it will be well worth it.

Although the bottle tasted was one of the 2003 vintage, the SAQ (Quebec's government run liquor commission) currently stocks the 2007 and 2008 vintages. For web viewers around the world, click here to see which retailers carry Solaia. It usually hits the shelves of consumers around the world in the Spring of every year, in the month of April.

Solaia 2007 (SAQ CODE: 10821064) ……………...  241.75$ *

Solaia 2008 (SAQ CODE: 11593657)  ………….... 247.00$

* According to its chief winemaker Renzo Cotarella, the 2007 Solaia may go down in history as being "the best Solaia ever made". Although I haven’t had the chance of tasting the 2007 vintage, I do have it stocked in my cellar and plan on tasting it sometime in the future.

The Roots of A Young Wine Enthusiast

As a Canadian of Italian descent, it may not come as a surprise to you when I say that I take great pride in my heritage. Indeed, one of the greatest parts of growing up in an Italian family was being given the lucky opportunity to learn about the beauty of Northern Italian cuisine from my grandmother Gina. My grandfather Mario, on the other hand, taught me about me about the other great part of Italian culture … “il vino”. Indeed my grandfather Mario’s passion for wine demonstrates itself through the pride he takes in winemaking. As a young boy, it would always amaze me to watch my grandfather take such precious care of the small vineyard in his backyard. When I approached him once and asked why he spent so much time in it, he laughed and then explained to me that great wine starts in the vineyard. Even as a youngster, I remember sitting down at my family’s Sunday lunches and having a sip of my grandfather's red wine … and boy was it good. I guess that’s why I would always see my grandfather smiling when he had a glass of wine in his hands. His respect for Mother Nature and the countless hours he spent looking after his vineyard had paid off giving way to great red and rosé table wines. In this way, I guess it was my grandfather’s very own love for wine that started mine.

My grandfather Mario hard at work picking the ripe grape clusters during
harvest season. 

In the past few years my intrigue for fine wine has increased. Propelled by my passion for all that is “made in Italy”, my sense of exploration found itself directed towards wines from the Italian peninsula. As someone who loves cooking for friends and family, I was always looking for the perfect wine to accompany my dishes. After all, it is my belief that there is nothing better than a good homemade meal and a great bottle of wine in the presence of great company.

A picture of me with two of my favourite wines from Tuscany ... the legendary Ornellaia and Sassicaia.

It is my opinion that Italy is one of the greatest wine producing countries in the world. However, it still remains one of the least explored ... I am sure that if I were to ask you about Italian wine, the first word that would come to mind would be Chianti. Now don’t get me wrong … Despite the fact that Chianti is one of the great wines of Italy, there is so much out there to discover.  With its Brunello and Super Tuscans from Tuscany, its Barolo and Barbera from Piemonte, its Amarone and Soaves from Veneto, the many indigenous white varietals from Friuli Venezia-Giulia, Italy offers a great variety of wines that are bound to please even the most difficult of palates out there. 

So if you so happen to join me on this unique blog experience, I promise to offer you my tasting notes as well as a background on the wine I drink, its producer and the region that its from. Join me as we discover the many wines available from the different wine producing regions of Italy. Cin Cin!