Solaia

The Antinori family has been making wine for over six hundred years, since Giovanni di Piero Antinori became part of the Arte Fiorentina dei Vinattieri in 1385. Throughout its long history, spanning 26 generations, the family has always personally managed the business making innovative, sometimes courageous choices, always with unwavering respect for tradition and the land.

Today Marchese Piero Antinori is director of the company, assisted by his three daughters, Albiera, Allegra and Alessia, who are personally involved in the business.

Antinori continually experiment with their vineyards and cellars, with selections of native and international clones, growing methods, vineyard^? altitudes, fermentation^? methods and temperatures, traditional and modern vinification^? techniques, types of wood, size and age of barrels, and various bottle-ageing periods.

Cabernet Sauvignon 75%
Sangiovese 20%
Cabernet Franc 5%

Solaia is a south/west facing vineyard^? of about 10 hectares^? at 350 - 400 metres a.s.l. on rocky limestone land near the Tignanello estate^?. Marchesi Antinori produced this wine for the first time in the 1978 vintage^?; the original blend^?, repeated in 1979, was 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc. In subsequent years 20% of Sangiovese was added and some corrections were made to the Cabernet Sauvignon-Cabernet Franc ratio until today’s composition was reached. Solaia is only made in outstandingly good years, and was not produced in 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984 and 1992.

The weather conditions during the harvest ensured a very high quality crop. Particular attention was paid to grape selection in the vineyard^?, so that only perfect bunches arrived in the cellar^?. The harvest was completely by hand, picking by 1-hectare^? plots, according to the vigor of the vines.

The Sangiovese grapes were picked in the first ten days of October, while the Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon were harvested in the second half of the month. As always, great attention was paid to the fermenting^? and extraction processes, using délestage and pumping over to maintain the natural aromas and the intense^? colour of each grape variety^?. Fermentation^? of all three grape varieties was carried out at an average of 27°C and no higher than 31°C, to best preserve the true aromas, flavours^? and varietal^? characteristics of the fruit. The musts showed great complexity^? from the start, together with abundant varietal character^?, evident in the aromas, elegance^? and colour, the first signs of a potentially great vintage^?.

After alcoholic fermentation^??, the wines were racked into new oak^?? barrels to undergo malolactic fermentation^?, which occurred by the end of the year. The wines were then blended and aged in barrels for 12 months, then racked off and, after a careful tasting of each barrel^?, finally bottled. The wine was released after a further year in bottle.

Intense^? ruby red colour and immediate classic, fruity^? aromas that are in perfect harmony with the vanilla^? and chocolate^? notes from the oak^?. Solaia 2006 is powerful^? on the palate^?, with a tannic^? texture^?, yet remaining smooth^?, with a very long finish^?, after time in the glass. Intense aftertaste^? of ripe blackberry and cherry fruit and a seemingly endless finish.

14% alcohol^?, 1.6 gr/l residual^? sugar^?, 0.67 gr/l volatile^? acidity^??, 5.2 gr/l total acidity.

Venison, stewed, braised and roasted meats and seasoned cheeses.

Serving temperature: 16-18°C.

Drink this wine now or over the next eight years.

Please don't hesitate to contact us for this or any other of your wine requirements.