Solaia 2019

It is called Solaia because it comes from the sunniest segment (“Sole” is sun in Italian) of the Tenuta Tignanello vineyard, located in the township of San Casciano Val di Pesa (FI). Solaia was created in 1978 as a rib of Tignanello. Cabernet had been cultivated in order to use it in the blend of Tignanello; being a late ripening variety it had been planted in a parcel facing south on a slope between 340 and 400 m above sea level. The soil is rocky with alberese and galestro. Alberese in particular is a white limestone which, brought to the surface, reflects sunlight and therefore favors perfect grapes’ ripening. In '78 that Cabernet was of such a superior quality, that Antinori decided to process a part of it in purity and created Solaia. It was 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet franc. Over time, Sangiovese was added and the blend became the mirror image of that of Tignanello. So two outstanding but different red wines are made from the same vineyard.

Solaia shows off the power and muscularity of Cabernet Sauvignon, softened by that 20% of Sangiovese and 5% of Cabernet franc. For the production of Solaia, grapes are selected twice: first in the vineyard and then in the cellar on a sorting table, so that only perfectly healthy and ripe grapes end up in the fermentation vat. Alcoholic fermentation is carried out in 60 hl conical steel vats at a controlled temperature. Maceration on the skins continues with careful punching down. Malolactic fermentation is carried out in barrique and the wine ages 18 months in new French oak barriques.