2003 Solaia

Chronicling the great wines of Italy for our readers has been a passion of mine for many years. Vinous Events take readers off the sidelines and make them participants in historic, once-in-a-lifetime tastings. It was with that spirit we hosted this complete vertical of Antinori's Solaia a few months ago.

Putting together the first-ever complete vertical of Solaia was a huge undertaking. It almost didn't happen at all. The original date for this tasting/dinner was Monday October 29, the day Hurricane Sandy descended on the tri-state area and began wreaking unprecedented havoc. Nearly eight months passed before the vertical finally took place, which only strengthened our resolve to make the evening even better. The passage of time also allowed for the inclusion of the 2010, which is in my view the greatest Solaia ever made. Marchese Piero Antinori and longtime Winemaker Renzo Cotarella presented the wines. Even Antinori had never tasted all 28 vintages together. Eleven Madison Park's Executive Chef Daniel Humm and his team prepared a brilliant menu full of highlights, including the morel and lamb courses both of which were among the most delicious dishes I have ever indulged in at Eleven Madison Park. Wine Director Dustin Wilson and a talented group of sommeliers took care of the wines, a huge undertaking given the large number of vintages. For more perspective, readers might enjoy the videos I shot with Antinori and Cotarella just prior to the dinner.

Piero Antinori has been on the leading forces in Italian wines for decades. With estates spread throughout the country, today Antinori produces high-quality wines in many appellations. The highlights among these new releases are without question the 2003 and 2004 Tignanello and Solaia, perhaps the wines that Antinori is most closely identified with. “In 2003 the risk was in making wines with excessive concentration yet lacking phenolic ripeness,” says oenologist Renzo Cotarella. “For Tignanello and Solaia we used only the oldest vines, those that resisted the heat best. In order to preserve as much freshness as possible we shortened our maceration times and lowered temperatures by a few degrees so as to not over-extract the wines. Our production of Tignanello is 20% lower than normal, while our production of Solaia is 40% lower than normal. Oddly, production in 2004 for Tignanello and Solaia are also down about 20% and 40% respectively but for entirely different reasons. The growing season was cooler and much longer but we had some rain towards the end and therefore needed to be especially selective, both in the vineyards and in the cellar. I think 2004 is the best vintage we have ever made. It also represents a stylistic shift for us. In the past we have perhaps made wines that were overly concentrated. Maybe its my older age, but today I am looking for wines that are more about elegance and balance, and I think we captured than in 2004.” Readers should also take a close look at the wines Antinori is producing at La Braccesca, in Montepulciano which are reviewed separately.