Solaia Rosso di Toscana IGT, Magnum

Renzo Cotarella und sein Team haben mit den letzten Jahrgängen Solaia auf Eleganz und Terroir gesetzt, die Opulenz manch früheren Jahrgangs ist einer tiefgründigen Finesse gewichen. Der 2021er Solaia zeigt, dass dies der richtige Weg ist: Nie war Solaia profunfer und dichter, nie lebhafter und frischer. Er duftet nach reifen dunklen Beeren, nach Flieder und Espressobohnen. Die Tannine sind fein und dicht, sie geben der Frucht eine klare Kontur und sorgen für ein langes, feinaromatisches Finale. Der 2021er Solaia ist ein Monument, ein Wein auf dem Gipfel der italienischen Önologie und gleichzeitig ein Genuss der die Sinne betört und uns komplett begeistert. Der Jahrgang 2021 hat sich für die Toskana als Referenz, als ein Jahr der Höchstbewertungen gezeigt, in dem herausragende Weine entstanden sind. Auch ein Spitzenwein wie Solaia profitiert davon. Er entsteht auf den besten Plots der Tenuta Tignanello, wird aufwendig und schonend vinifiziert. Anschließend wählt Renzo die besten Fässer aus. Solaia ist das Beste vom Besten des Tignanello, ein einzigartiger Supertuscan, der 2021 so gut ist wie vielleicht nie zuvor. PRESSE 100 Punkte Vinous (Antonio Galloni) „Antinori's 2021 Solaia is another wine that captures all of the potential I sensed when I tasted it some months ago. More than anything else, the 2021 is a fine example of the style Antinori favors these days, an approach that favors finesse more than opulence. Dark plum, mocha, licorice, chocolate, spice, lavender and menthol build effortlessly in the glass. Oak and tannin are impeccably balanced. The 2021 spent 18 months in wood, three months in once-used barrels during the malolactic fermentation and then 15 months in 100% new barrels for the rest of its aging. Antinori presented some of the most memorable wines I have ever tasted here. The 2021s capture all the pedigree of this great Chianti Classico vintage in their combination of vibrancy, aromatic intensity and fruit. CEO Renzo Cotarella and his two longtime technical directors, Dora Pacciani and Sara Pontremolesi, have moved the wines towards a style that emphasizes more freshness than in the past while dialing down the more opulent side that was once in favor. It’s a significant evolution, one that really makes itself felt in 2021, a vintage that is so well suited to wines of energy. Readers will note the addition of three new single-vineyard Gran Seleziones in the range, wines I have watched grow over the years from young barrel samples into fully finished wines.“ 97 Punkte Wine Advocate (Monica Larner) „All said and done, the Marchesi Antinori 2021 Solaia is a monument to perfect winemaking. This coiffed supermodel does not show a single hair follicle out of place. … Solaia is a wine of lasting power. The wine offers generous depth and layering with soft tannins and some of the spicy pink peppercorn you get from the 9% Cabernet Franc (added to 77% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Sangiovese). The finish is extremely velvety and soft, but I notice that the flavors seem to become sweeter and riper the longer this wine stays in the glass. This newest release will hit the market in September. Marchesi Antinori General Manager Renzo Cotarella tells me that 2021 is the best vintage he has ever overseen. Ever. He prefers it to recent classics like 2016 and 2010. There was frost in the spring, and the growing cycle was very long. This is something that most grapes, and especially Sangiovese, need in order to exhibit aromatic depth and flavor complexity. This is an exceptional year, he says, citing the inner energy certainly exhibited by the wines from 2021.“ 97 Punkte James Suckling „This is a beautifully curated Solaia with blackcurrants and raspberries plus lavender and violet undertones. Graphite highlights it all. Just some new wood coming through. It’s full-bodied with fine velvety tannins that run the length of the wine, caressing the palate. Give this three or four years to come around. Best after 2027.“