Marchesi Antinori
Solaia 2022
| Denomination | IGT Toscana |
|---|---|
| Size | 0,75 l |
| Alcohol content | 13.5% by volume |
| Area | Tuscany (Italy) |
| Grape varieties | 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet Franc |
| Aging | Aged for approximately 18 months in new French oak barriques (after malolactic fermentation in barriques), followed by about 1 year of bottle ageing before release. |
- Origin: Tenuta Tignanello, Chianti Classico, altitude 350-400m, south-west exposure
- Blend: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet Franc; alcohol 13.5%
- Vinification: Separate batches in 60 hl vats; average temperature 27°C (max 31°C)
- Ageing: Malolactic fermentation in barriques and around 18 months in new French oak
- Profile: Notes of blackberry, cherry, chocolate and vanilla; silky tannins, persistent finish
Description
What kind of wine it is
Solaia is an outstanding red wine produced in Tuscany by Antinori. It is created from a meticulous blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc, with the grapes vinified in separate batches to preserve their integrity and precise aromatic definition. Maceration in truncated conical tanks precedes malolactic fermentation and a lengthy maturation in wood. On the palate, it offers a creamy entry, enhanced by marked freshness and a silky tannic texture, leading to a long and profound finish. This complex sensory profile is expressed through notes of blackberry, cherry, chocolate and vanilla.
Where it comes from
This wine originates from the Tenuta Tignanello, in the heart of Chianti Classico, between the valleys of the Greve and Pesa rivers. The vineyards, facing south-west at altitudes between 350 and 400 metres, are set on Pliocene soils rich in marine fossils, where alberese and galestro mix with clay. The vines benefit from warm days and cool nights, enjoying optimal temperature variations for perfect fruit ripening. This specific territorial context gives the wine a compact structure, supporting its vibrant intensity and profound expression.
How it is produced
After a meticulous manual selection of the berries, the destemmed grapes undergo gentle crushing. The must reaches the truncated conical tanks by gravity, where fermentation and maceration on the skins take place at controlled temperatures in separate batches, optimising extraction. Once racking is complete, the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation and begins ageing in new French oak barrels for about eighteen months. At the end of this process, the different parcels are blended into the final blend, achieving definitive structural harmony before bottling.
History and Curiosities
Born in 1978 at the Tignanello Estate of the Marchesi Antinori, Solaia 2022 stands as a true icon of the Italian wine renaissance. In this extraordinary centre of excellence, the soul of Sangiovese merges with the boldness of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Produced exclusively in the finest vintages, this monumental Super Tuscan captivates with its elegance and international prestige, crowned by the exceptional 98 points awarded by Decanter and James Suckling.
Awards
-
2022
5Italian Sommelier Foundation (FIS) guide This has been one of the most prestigious wine guides in Italy for over 10 years.
-
2022
98/100
Decanter is a wine and lifestyle magazine, published monthly in around 90 countries. The magazine includes industry news, classic guides and advice on wine and spirits.
-
2022
3This guide is highly respected and offers the most comprehensive review of Italian wines. It has a long tradition and is based on blind tastings carried out by over 100 experts.
-
2022
98/100
James Suckling is an influential American wine critic and journalist who worked at Wine Spectator for 30 years. He left the magazine in 2010 to start his own website and guidebook (JamesSuckling.com). He specialises in Italian and Bordeaux wines.
-
2022
96/100
Vinous is the online guide from Antonio Galloni, one of the world's leading wine connoisseurs.
-
2022
95/100
Wine spectator is the most influential wine guide on the internet.
Tasting notes
Perfume
Color
Taste
Serve at:
18 - 20 °C
Longevity:
Over 25 years
Decanting time:
1 hour
- Start up year: 1385
- Oenologist: Renzo Cotarella
The Antinori family’s first encounter with wine dates back to 1385, when Giovanni di Piero Antinori joined the Guild of Wine Merchants to make the best use of the family’s country properties in Valdarno, around Florence.
However, it was not until the 16th century that banker and merchant Alessandro Antinori made the wine from his estates famous in Italy and abroad, travelling from Lyons to Flanders, and from Spain to Algiers.
Wine was to remain the family’s passion and main business activity, so much so that in 1898 the "Fattoria dei Marchesi Lodovico e Piero Antinori" was created by brothers Lodovico and Piero, the sons of Marchese Niccolò – a direct descendent of that other Niccolò who purchased Palazzo Antinori in 1506 and poured his efforts into publicising Tuscan wines around the world and creating fine quality products. For 26 generations the Antinori family have continued to make history.
In 2023, at the beginning of February, Villa Antinori Toscana IGT 2019 was named the third wine in the world, the only Italian wine, in Wine Specator's Top 10 Values 2022: the list of the 10 wines that according to the American magazine represent world excellence in terms of value for money. Read more
| Name | Antinori Solaia 2022 |
|---|---|
| Type | Red still |
| Denomination | Toscana IGT |
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Size | 0,75 l |
| Alcohol content | 13.5% by volume |
| Grape varieties | 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet Franc |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Tuscany |
| Vendor | Marchesi Antinori |
| Story | History and Curiosities Born in 1978 at the Tignanello Estate of the Marchesi Antinori, Solaia 2022 stands as a true icon of the Italian wine renaissance. In this extraordinary centre of excellence, the soul of Sangiovese merges with the boldness of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Produced exclusively in the finest vintages, this monumental Super Tuscan captivates with its elegance and international prestige, crowned by the exceptional 98 points awarded by Decanter and James Suckling. |
| Origin | Tenuta Tignanello, in the heart of Chianti Classico between the Greve and Pesa valleys (Tuscany) |
| Climate | Hot and dry with subsequent rains and cooler nights |
| Soil composition | Calcareous rocky soil (alberese) with galestro and veins of Pliocene clay |
| Yield per hectare | Less than 8,000 kg per hectare |
| Fermentation temperature | Average temperature of 27 °C, never exceeding 31 °C |
| Production technique | Fermentation and maceration at controlled temperature in separate batches; malolactic fermentation in barriques; ageing for about 18 months in new French oak barriques |
| Wine making | Manual selection of grapes and berries, destemming and gentle crushing; gravity transfer into 60 hl truncated cone-shaped tanks; fermentation and maceration at controlled temperature (average 27°C, maximum 31°C) with vinification in separate batches; malolactic fermentation in new French oak barriques and ageing for about 18 months; blending of the batches before bottling. |
| Aging | Aged for approximately 18 months in new French oak barriques (after malolactic fermentation in barriques), followed by about 1 year of bottle ageing before release. |
| Allergens | Contains sulphites |