2015 Solaia
By Antinori
The 2015 Solaia from Antinori, Tuscany, investing in Italian finesse
A vintage year and a noble pedigree combine to produce a wine of extraordinary elegance. The 2015 Solaia from Antinori effortlessly encapsulates the attention to detail and meticulous craftsmanship that this esteemed Italian producer is world-renowned for.
A Year of Unforgettable Character
The 2015 season in Tuscany was exceptional, an almost fairytale composition of climatic conditions. Warm days, cold nights, timely rainfall, they all conspired to a vintage of rare character. This particular year brought forth an intensity of fruit seldom matched, wrapped around a complex structure that hints at potential longevity. The 2015 year sets itself apart by being generously ripe yet retaining an admirable poise and balance.
Basking in Tuscan Sun: The Antinori Touch
Antinori's deft touch is evident in how they've balanced the bold abundancy presented by the vintage while ensuring the wine maintains its quintessential Solaia elegance. There is an arresting interplay between the ripe blackberry and plum fruit, juxtaposed against a nuanced savoury undertone.
To taste the 2015 Solaia from Antinori is to get lost in its depth, silkiness and beautifully scented Tuscan persona. Hints of espresso and mocha weave through robust black cherries, sweeping into an attractively long finish reminiscent of darker spice elements.
Investing in Italian Elegance
As a coveted fine wine from Italy to treasure or potentially invest in, the 2015 Solaia stands out. Its structural integrity combined with its vibrant opulence suggest it as an investment piece that will only grow in stature over the next decade or two, presenting an intriguing rarity factor for wine investors.
In sum, the consummate balance between vitality and elegance makes the 2015 Solaia from Antinori imbued with all the hallmarks of a vintage year - a bright beacon of Tuscany's remarkable potential. Undoubtedly, it is one of the emblematic wines of its vintage that elegantly captures the singularity of its origin.
Market price (HKD)
HK$36,130.00
12x75cl
Highest score
100
POP score
189
Scores and tasting notes
There is a magical infinity, a continuous loop of compatibilities, between the icon wines of Tuscany and the 2015 vintage. The stunning 2015 Solaia is solid evidence of this perfect alignment. This was a warm vintage that shows less favorably in my opinion in different parts of Italy and with other grapes that render their most elegant performances in the cooler vintages. I would put pure expressions of Nebbiolo and Sangiovese in this category. However, Tuscany and many of her great blended reds (made partially or fully with international grapes) operate according to a different logic. To me, their maximum expression comes when you can taste that Tuscan sunshine beaming from within. Its rays are brilliant and warm. They shine across the senses with opulence and intensity. The very name Solaia evokes the concept of sunshine and this unique Tuscan wine archetype I am referring to. With the 2015 vintage, Solaia is liquid sunshine not just in name but also in fact. The bouquet is immediately soft and sensual with dark fruit, spice and sweet tobacco. The mouthfeel shows intensity and power, but you don't get any heavy residue from the dry extract (measured at 33 grams per liter). Indeed, the wine feels glossy, tonic and fresh. It is composed of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with Sangiovese and a tiny part Cabernet Franc. There is a bit of crunch or snap that comes thanks to the more acidity-prone Sangiovese grape (the wine measures 3.5 in pH). Finally, the tannins are beautifully sweet and ripe. This wine is meticulously executed, and the 2015 vintage lives up to an ideal of what we imagine Solaia to be. It will be released about a week after this review is published. Some 80,000 bottles were produced.
Monica Larner - The Wine Advocate, 6 September 2018