Solaia 2017 - 3 Litre Bottle

Deep ruby red in color, the nose of this red wine offers ample notes of blackberries, black currants and hints of fresh mint. The bouquet lends spicy aromas of white pepper, toasted cinnamon and cocoa. Rich and mouth-filling palate; soft, velvety, tannins impart a lengthy finish and aftertaste where toasty notes reappear.

Blend: 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese, 8% Cabernet Franc

97 Points - Decanter     Super-restrained cassis fruit with an almost blueberry maturity in front of violet, clove and blond tobacco spiciness. Retasting the wine the next day, it shines with graphite minerality, pure leather, and a touch of lemon thyme. Creamy and full on the palate, it has refined and meaty tannins, with lively acidity and great balance overall. You would not think this wine was aged in 100% new French oak for 18 months because of the great fruit concentration on display, but the top quality of the oak used is evident. The potential of Solaia is to be seen over the years, to discover its character as it matures. It's never cutesy, always elegant. Drinking Window 2021 - 2040

95 Points  - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate     The Marchesi Antinori 2017 Solaia offers a uniquely floral personality with wild rose and lilac that comes as a surprise, especially if you are expecting the more robust and opulent dark fruit associated with this vintage. To use a word that is popular now, the aromas are absolutely lifted. This is a bouquet-driven wine, showing great oak choices that are synergistic with the light and considerably thinner palate. Dried or pressed flowers cede to cherry, blueberry, some red meat char and a light touch of cinnamon. My impression is that the dry extract from the oak ultimately plays a bigger role in the overall flavor profile, preserving its red fruit core nevertheless. The wine is very accessible in terms of mouthfeel, showing a comparatively thinner and shorter approach. With more time in the glass, it offers some of the white soil dust that is a standard Solaia signature.