Antinori - Tenuta Tignanello: Solaia 2021

Cabernet Sauvignon 77%, Sangiovese 14%, Cabernet Franc 9%

Originally, Solaia came from a 10-hectare vineyard located on the hill directly opposite the Tenuta Tignanello. In 2007, another 10 hectares were planted on the other side of the estate on very similar terroir. The soil consists of fossil Alberese sandstone with Galestro, a typical Tuscan rock made of limestone in black shale. The subsoil of both Solaia sites is clayey and can therefore retain moisture very well; in dry years, this soil acts almost like insurance. The yield in the vineyard is always manageable and the perfect harvest time is generally decided meticulously hectare by hectare within a 20-day window.

Solaia is aged in its own cellar at Tenuta Tignanello. After 14 to 16 months of aging in 100% new French barrels from the cooperages Taransaud and Remond, which produce a barrel uniquely suited organoleptically for Solaia, the wine then undergoes another year of bottle aging before it is released to the market. 

Deep, bright ruby red. The nose is inviting and profound, of unique intensity and an irresistible fragrance. Relentless seduction in the glass! A beautiful bouquet of ripe red cherries, plums, and blackberries. The sweet spice of tobacco leaves, black tea, and cedarwood plays alongside the massive graphite-like minerality. On the palate, the wine’s freshness is consistently astonishing and magnificent. The tannins are finely textured and harmoniously woven with the fruit. In the creamy finish, tonka bean and fine brown spices, cherries, and blueberries linger.

In 2021, Solaia has an incredible amount of fruit pressure, including rich fullness and surprisingly perfect harmony combined with balance and elegance. It quickly becomes clear that the 2021 Solaia is a tension-filled highlight among the best Solaias. More balanced than 2019, more tension-filled than 2016, more elegant than 2015. Similar to Sassicaia, 2021 is THE vintage of vintages in Tuscany.

Solaia is more opulent, richer, and even more seductive in its spice than Sassicaia, while also being sensationally harmonious. Tuscan Cabernet can sometimes be brittle, harsh, and green in difficult years, but this long-established legend can do it all. By the way, the winemaker of Tenuta Tignanello, Stefano Carpaneto, believes the wine reaches its "sweet spot" drinking window after 5-6 years. This wine is absolutely dreamy and perhaps the best Solaia ever!