Marchesi Antinori Solaia Toscana 2018

Perhaps the most historic producer in all of Italy, the Antinori family has made wine in the picturesque rolling hills of Tuscany for nearly 700 years. Solaia is the family’s “Super-Tuscan” offering, with the 2018 vintage comprised of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese and 7% Cabernet Franc. The fruits hails from the sunniest and most exposed part of the legendary hillside of Tignanello, tucked in the heart of the Chianti Classico region. In spite of this, the 2018 vintage is exceptionally silky and decidedly elegant—showcasing an approachability not often found in such young expressions of this wine.

Taste sun-ripened black plum, sweet and heady crème de cassis, with complements of fresh lavender, shaved graphite, crushed mint, and spicy clove. Aromas of white pepper and cherry blossoms lighten the concentrated scent of roasted coffee bean. Despite the wine’s eagerness to impress, and impress it does, the underlying structure, consistent acidity and overall intensity of the wine speak to a long and beautiful life ahead of it.