2010 Solaia

It’s always great to be in London. There is something magical about the city. Its energy and pulse are so inspiring. This vertical of Antinori’s iconic Solaia going back to the inaugural 1978, with all but the very early vintages from magnum, was truly unforgettable. Solaia emerges from a handful of hillside blocks within Antinori’s vast Tignanello property in San Casciano Val di Pesa in the northern part of Chianti Classico. During the 1978 harvest Piero Antinori found he had a bit more Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc than he needed for his groundbreaking Tignanello. Antinori bottled that wine separately. The rest, as they say, is history.

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.

Antinori has done a fabulous job with their 2010s. Specifically, the dual flagships Tignanello and Solaia are off the charts in a vintage that is likely to go down as one of the all-time greats for both. I started tasting those wines in the summer of 2011, when the wines were still separate components. A video of that tasting is here. I then tasted the wines last spring in blended form prior to bottling and have since tasted them several times from bottle. Each and every time, I have been blown away by the quality. I think it is fair to say these are some of the greatest wines Antinori has ever made. For more perspective on Antinori and Solaia, readers may want to take a look at this short video shot during a complete vertical of Solaia earlier this year, plus my interviews with Piero Antinori and long-time winemaker Renzo Cotarella. The 2010s promise to be long-lived wines, in the meantime, readers will find much to like in the two 2009 Chianti Classicos being released this year. Lastly, I would be remiss if I did not say something about 2013, a year that so far has been quite wet and humid in Chianti Classico. Growers have had to fight hard against disease. Still, near the Antinori vineyards I saw healthy populations of bees, an array of butterflies and active wildlife, all of which point to viticulture that is quite gentle, which is frankly remarkable for a winery that makes millions of bottles each and every year.