2011 Solaia, Antinori, Tuscany, Italy
Description
We often taste wines which leap out of the glass, but 2011 Solaia does this with a vengeance. The nose has a beautifully crafted wall of complex blackcurrant and juicy dark fruit from the pure, ripe Cabernet Sauvignon. Laced within this are light, deft touches of subtle cherry and dark plum fruit from the Sangiovese. This purity is clear on the palate to see again where further complexity comes from the refined and framing oak.
As the palate’s fruit seamlessly moves into the structure and body of the wine, there are notes of coffee, fine chocolate, and a whole span of herbs and spices—nutmeg, cloves, sage, and rosemary, to name a few. There is no doubt that this is a bold wine if you take it as a whole, but there is a very uncommon level of refinement and subtly here.
2011 Solaia can be drunk now, given the finesse and subtlety of the tannins, but I feel that if you can leave this in the cellar even for 2 or 3 years, there will be added layers of complexity, ensuring that this is a very special wine indeed.
Berry Bros. & Rudd
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Colour
Red -
Sweetness
Dry -
Vintage
2011 -
Alcohol
14.5% -
Grape
Cabernet Sauvignon -
Body
Full Bodied -
Producer
Antinori
Critics reviews
Blackberry jam, cassis, grilled herbs and melted road tar meld together in the 2011 Solaia. Another super-exotic, racy 2011 from Antinori, Solaia, is supremely beautiful. Mocha, espresso and sage are some notes that add complexity. Hints of white truffle, lavender, smoke and liquorice are laced into the exotic, racy finish. In 2011, Solaia has a dollop more Cabernet Franc in the blend, added to give the wine a freshness. Ripe and flashy to the core, the 2011 needs time to lose some of its youthful exuberance. At times, the 2011 could be easily mistaken for a wine from Napa Valley, such is its intensity.
Drink 2019 - 2036
Aromas of cherries and currants with hints of fresh rose petals. Full-bodied, very fruit-forward and flavourful. Long and rich. It's all about fruit and richness.
Drink or hold
Very youthful with ripe cassis, smoke, coffee and anise, the 2011 Solaia is laden with sweet, dense fruit that just stops short of being top-heavy. Admirably polished and silky tannins give this wine the balance it needs, although some warming alcohol does poke through on the finish. Winemaker Renzo Cotarella explained that due to the different nature of Cabernet Sauvignon’s skin, it tends to be more resistant than Sangiovese in hot vintages.
Drink 2019 - 2031
Aged 14 months in new French oak. Wonderful bramble fruit. It's very modern and easily mistaken for a great New World Cabernet. Gorgeous fruit quality on the nose. Fine smoky perfume on the finish. Quite heady and opulent, but perfectly balanced, and set up for a very promising future.
Drink 2018 - 2036