Antinori Solaia Toscana IGT 2019

"Solaia" is one of the most renowned wines from the Antinori company, belonging to the so-called elite "Super Tuscans" — wines made from Bordeaux grape varieties grown in the sunny conditions of Tuscany. "Solaia" is the name of a vineyard covering 20 hectares, located in the southwestern part of the region, at an altitude of 350-400 meters above sea level on rocky limestone soil in Tenuta Tignanello. Antinori produced this wine for the first time in 1978, originally consisting of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc. Since 1980, 20% Sangiovese has been introduced into the wine, and adjustments have been made to the ratio between Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The 2019 season gifted winemakers perfectly ripened grapes, which were harvested from late September to October 14. Great attention was paid to the fruits both in the vineyard during harvest and in the cellar, where the grapes were separated from the stems and carefully selected on the sorting table before being delicately pressed, and then transferred to steel tanks under the force of gravity. It was very important for the winemakers that only perfect grapes entered the truncated conical wine tanks with a capacity of 60 hl. During fermentation and maceration, maximum attention was paid to maintaining the right balance between fruitiness and tannin quality to give the wine sweetness and aroma, as well as identity and character. After fermentation, the must was transferred to oak barrels for malolactic fermentation, enhancing the complexity and pleasantness of the wine. The aging process took place in new French oak barrels and lasted about 18 months. The magical 2019 vintage will reach its peak maturity from 2024 to 2052.