Antinori Solaia 2020

Antinori Solaia 2020

 

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Antinori
Solaia 2020
  • Vintage : 2020
  • Country : Italy
  • Region : Tuscany
  • Subregion :
  • Type : Red
  • Style : Deep Full Bodied
  • Format : 75cl
  • Alcohol : 14°
  • Grappes : 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet Franc

Antinori Solaia 2020 is a masterful expression of Italian winemaking, blending Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Sangiovese from the Tignanello estate. It exudes power, elegance, and harmony.

Experts Score Vintage
JS James Suckling 98 2020
WS Wine Spectator 97 2020
DCT Decanter 97 2020
VN Vinous (Antonio Galloni) 97 2020
RP Robert Parker 96 2020
More information on wine critics and ratings

Region and Vineyards

Solaia originates from the prestigious Tignanello estate in the heart of Chianti Classico, Tuscany. The Solaia vineyard, spanning 20 hectares, lies at an altitude of 350–400 meters with a southwestern exposure. The soils, composed of “alberese” limestone and “galestro” clay, contribute to the wine’s remarkable structure and minerality.

The 2020 growing season started with a mild and dry winter, followed by a brief cold spell at the end of March that accelerated budbreak. Spring brought cool temperatures and sufficient rainfall to support vine growth. The summer was hot but without extreme heat spikes, and light rains in September facilitated gradual ripening. Harvest began in late September with Cabernet Franc and Sangiovese, concluding with Cabernet Sauvignon on October 10th.

Winemaking

Solaia 2020 is meticulously crafted, beginning with a careful hand-harvest and sorting process to select only the finest berries. Grapes were destemmed, gently crushed, and transferred by gravity into 60-hectoliter truncated cone-shaped fermentation tanks.

Fermentation and maceration were carefully managed to balance fruity compounds and tannin quality, showcasing the wine’s identity and character. After racking, malolactic fermentation occurred in French oak barriques, enhancing complexity and softness. The wine was then aged in new French oak barrels for approximately 18 months, with individual lots aged separately before blending and final refinement in barrels.

Tasting Notes

  • Color: Deep ruby red.
  • Aroma: Intense and complex with notes of wild berries such as blueberries, raspberries, and currants, interwoven with sweet hints of plums and black cherries. Subtle mint, myrtle, and licorice emerge alongside floral lavender and rich cocoa powder, complemented by spices like cloves and pink pepper.
  • Palate: A rich, mouth-filling entry leads to a velvety texture. Vibrant acidity and well-integrated tannins sustain a long, elegant finish. The aftertaste reveals mint, licorice, and chocolate, mirroring the aromatic complexity.

Did you know?

The name Solaia, meaning "sunny place," reflects the vineyard's warm southwestern exposure. First produced in 1978, Solaia was created to highlight Cabernet Sauvignon’s potential in Tuscany. It is made only in exceptional vintages, underscoring its rarity and prestige.

Wine Pairing Ideas

  • Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Tuscan-style steak): The wine’s structure and tannins complement the richness of this classic grilled steak.
  • Braised short ribs in red wine sauce: Its bold flavors align with the wine’s complexity and depth.
  • Porcini mushroom risotto: The earthy notes of mushrooms enhance the wine’s floral and spicy character.
  • Aged Parmigiano-Reggiano: The wine’s vibrant acidity and tannins balance the nutty, savory profile of the cheese.

History of Antinori

In 1385, the Antinori family became part of the wine business when Giovanni di Piero Antinori joined the Florentine Vintner's Guild.

Since 1966, Marchese Piero Antinori, son of Marchese Niccolò, has run the company with his daughters, Albiera, Allegra and Alessia, also playing an active role.

For more than 26 generations now, Antinori's philosophy has been based on the combination of both tradition and innovation: to preserve Italy's enological traditions and to experiment innovation in winemaking, giving each wine tester the pleasure of discovering a unique alliance.

Vineyards

Each of Antinori's vineyards and estates has its own individual character, its own history and its own universe perceived and discovered in the tasting of each of their fine wines.

Badia a Passignano

Antinori's vineyards for red wine are mostly located in Tuscany, in the area of Chianti Classico where it owns three estates, total 575 acres: Tignanello, Pèppoli and Badia a Passignano.

White wine is produced in Umbria in the Orvieto Classico region, at Castello della Sala estate, and in Tuscany at Monteloro estate.

Red wine comes from the Montepulciano, Bolgheri, Montalcino, Castiglione della Pescaia and Sovana areas.

Besides Tuscany and Umbria, Antinori is also present in Lombardy, Piedmont, Apulia, California, Washington State, Hungary and Malta where it produces both red and white wines.

The Tignanello and Solaia Estate - The uniqueness of a land and the history of a great wine

The Tignanello estate is a total of 319 hectares in size of which 127 hectares are planted with vines. In particular, two vineyards are real treasures:

  • Solaia: 20 hectares
  • Tignanello: 57 hectares

The area is very particular due to the high altitude being over 400 metres above sea level, the vineyards having a southwest exposure to the sun, the microclimate and the soil, which is marine loam based with a rich addition of alberese and galestro rock dating back to the Eocene and Miocene eras.

Viticulture

The growing season here is characterized by hot days and cool nights.

In the early 1970ies, the Tignanello estate was, to some extent, the viticultural research ground for Antinori. Investigations into vine growing concentrated on the improvement of the grapes to obtain a higher concentration and softer tannins. This was achieved through planting density, foliage control and selection of the Cabernet and Sangiovese.

In the oenological field, the goals were to achieve wines with a well-defined character.

This was accomplished by a rigorous selection of the grapes during harvest and when received at the winery, gentle crushing of the grapes with as little stress as possible, and by allowing malolactic fermentation to occur in barrel.

When the first production of Solaia began, more than thirty years ago, the grapes came from a plot of land that was within the larger Tignanello vineyard. The same particular characteristics as the original vineyard, such as the altitude, the soil type and the good exposure to the sun (hence the name Solaia), are also found in a nearby vineyard. This vineyard has been integrated into the original vineyard since 1997.

Currently, the Solaia vineyard is 20 hectares and planted with Cabernet Sauvignon (15 hectares), Cabernet Franc (1 hectare) and Sangiovese (4 hectares) with an average age of 15 years.

The density per hectare varies from a minimum of 5,500 to a maximum of 7,200 and the low-spurred cordon training system is used. Over the years, there has been a progressive renewal of the Solaia vineyard. This has been accomplished by utilizing the many years of knowledge and ever-increasing experience of the estate's land to highlight the personality of Solaia.

James Suckling (JS) : 98 Points (2020)
Subtle and beautiful on the nose with currants, flowers and light sage aromas that follow through to a full body with ultra-fine tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Extremely polished and poised.

Wine Spectator (WS) : 97 Points (2020)
Dripping with black currant, blackberry, black cherry, iron and toasty oak flavors, this red is suave and polished. Features flashes of tobacco and wild herbs that add even more detail as this builds to a long, kaleidoscopic finish. Presents civilized tannins that are well-integrated and provide structure. Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc.

Decanter (DCT) : 97 Points (2020)
Baked black fruit, ripe, fragrant and intense on the nose. Bright and sour fruit on the palate, quite a sharp initial tang from the high acidity before rich, sunny, ripe strawberries and raspberries come into play with liquorice, toast and cedar aspects giving the spiced element to the expression and graphite offering minerality. This is a powerful wine no doubt, bordering on too hedonistic at times - a result of the hot and dry summer, it's sensual, rich and flashy but the sense of control and layers of juicy freshness help balance the opulence with refinement. Clearly confident and charismatic, fans of this style will delight with Solaia in 2020. Made by Renzo Cotarella, Stefano Caraneto and Pietro Dogliani. (GH) (7/2023)

Vinous (Antonio Galloni) (VN) : 97 Points (2020)
The 2020 Solaia is an infant. I expected a more exuberant wine, but the 2020 is built along more classic lines. Black cherry, plum, gravel, incense, smoke, pencil shavings and spice all open effortlessly. As always, Solaia is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine, but it is a Cabernet that is distinctly Italian, with plenty of Tuscan acid and structure driving through the mid-palate and into the finish. The 2020 is a terrific example of the recent stylistic shift at Antinori. In the past, richness and opulence were qualities of a vintage that would have been amplified in the vineyard and cellar. Today, the aim is to capture a more balanced expression of these kinds of vintages, and that very much comes through. (AG) (8/2023)

Robert Parker (RP) : 96 Points (2020)
Inky dark in appearance, the 2020 Solaia is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with smaller percentages of Cabernet Franc and Sangiovese. This vintage unfolds to exuberant richness and thick layers of blackberry and plum. The tannins are sweet and expertly crafted, adding both depth and fruit weight. The 2020 vintage is quite bold, and it plays its best cards in terms of texture and mouthfeel. It’s a bigger, more accessible wine compared to the last two vintages on the market. Spice, toasted coffee bean and more dark fruit color this full-bodied Tuscan red.

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