2017 Solaia
By Antinori
The 2017 Solaia from Antinori, Tuscany, Italy
Your refined palate will no doubt savour the distinct character of the 2017 Solaia from Antinori, a paragon amongst fine wines from Italy. The Solaia occupies an unusually sunlit corner of the vineyard, taking its moniker - sunny one - from this special aspect.
An Unseasonably Hot Vintage
The specific climatic conditions of 2017 played their part in sculpting the exquisite masterpiece we find in the glass today. An unusually hot, dry year meant fewer but arguably more concentrated grapes, leading to a Solaia with considerable power and profound depth.
Taste and Potential; Worthy of Investment
Remarkable balance is apparent immediately on the palate, with hints of ripe black fruit introducing a symphony of flavour where each note plays its part perfectly. The interplay between the Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, and Cabernet Franc culminates in harmony, giving this vintage an intoxicatingly diverse array of flavour profiles encased in muscular tannins and a lingering finish.
Investors will appreciate that fine wine, such as the powerful 2017 Solaia, often outperforms other investment assets over time. By investing in the 2017 Solaia, they can ride on the prestige and excellent winemaking pedigree of Antinori.
A Glorious Terroir
The illustrious terroir of this superb Super Tuscan imbues the wine with distinctive hues layered atop its renowned regional attributes. The soil's composition and geographical location allows for maximum sunlight exposure during key phases of growth thus ensuring impeccable fruit maturation that translates to nuanced flavours and profound depth in the finished wine.
In conclusion, the 2017 Solaia is an elegant and powerful representation of the calcareous clay soils of Tuscany, underpinned by a climatically challenging year. Antinori's effort, although born out of adversity, has yet again demonstrated that great winemakers don't just survive, they thrive. Savouring this iconic vintage is a journey — one that unveils its manifold intricacies sip after brilliant sip.Market price (CAD)
$3,760.00
12x75cl
Highest score
95
POP score
150.67
Scores and tasting notes
The Marchesi Antinori 2017 Solaia offers a uniquely floral personality with wild rose and lilac that comes as a surprise, especially if you are expecting the more robust and opulent dark fruit associated with this vintage. To use a word that is popular now, the aromas are absolutely lifted. This is a bouquet-driven wine, showing great oak choices that are synergistic with the light and considerably thinner palate. Dried or pressed flowers cede to cherry, blueberry, some red meat char and a light touch of cinnamon. My impression is that the dry extract from the oak ultimately plays a bigger role in the overall flavor profile, preserving its red fruit core nevertheless. The wine is very accessible in terms of mouthfeel, showing a comparatively thinner and shorter approach. With more time in the glass, it offers some of the white soil dust that is a standard Solaia signature. It will be released the first week of September.
Monica Larner - The Wine Advocate, 13 August 2020