My Article: 2011 Solaia In Market

The 2011 Marchesi Antinori Toscana Solaia was just released yesterday from Bordeaux wine merchants to the world, and it’s an outstanding quality red. It may not be up to the quality of the superb 2010 but very close indeed. I scored it 96 points.

I telephone the head of winemaking for the Antinori family and he said that they were more than happy with the outstanding quality of the 2011. “It was much better than we thought we could do in such a hot year as 2011,” said Renzo Cotarella. “It’s a great wine from a hot year. It has wonderful intensity and length yet remains fresh and not overripe. It has lot of personality.”

Here is the tasting note for the 2011.

For comparison’s sake, here is the note for the 2010.

The blend is same as usual being 75 percent cabernet sauvignon, 20 percent sangiovese and five percent cabernet franc. Cotarella said that they emphasized selecting the best grapes from the higher portion of the Solaia vineyard in Chianti Classico. “This assured a beautiful freshness to the wine,” he said. He compares the wine to 2006 or 2004.

I think 1998 or 1994 should also be included. In fact, I recently drank the 1994 – not a great year in Tuscany – and it was still fresh and fruity.

Solaia is one of the few Italian wines traded in Bordeaux like top growths of the region. The other is the pure merlot Masseto.