x
  • Country ranking ?

    234
  • Producer ranking ?

    20
  • Decanting time

    2h
  • When to drink

    now to 2025
  • Food Pairing

    Roast rabbit stuffed with thyme.

The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.

Close

Each year, Wine Spectator editors survey the wines reviewed over the previous 12 months and select our Top 100, based on quality, value, availability and excitement. This annual list honors successful wineries, regions and vintages around the world.

Solaia 1997  was the Wine of the Year in 2000

Dark ruby in color, with extremely ripe raisin and spice aromas. Full-bodied and very chewy, with loads of polished tannins and a long, long fini...

Close

The Story

When the initial production of Solaia began, the grape source was a parcel within the larger Tignanello vineyard. The same special characteristics as the original vineyard – altitude, soil, and exposure to the sun (which accounts for the name of the parcel and the wine: “Solaia” derives from sole, the Italian word for the sun) are also to be found in a nearby vineyard plot which, since 1997, has been integrated into the original vineyard. The ...

Close

Wine Information

Blend:75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 20%Sangiovese

Climate:
The latter part of winter and the beginining of spring were very mild for the time of the year and also very dry. This produced early budding - some 10 days earlier than average. In April the temperature suddenly dropped,
causing an arrest in the growth of the buds. The summer was very hot and sunny and this weather continued for the
whole of September and for the du...

Close

Tasting note

color

Deep and Ruby red

ending

Short, Spicy, Smooth and Alcoholic

flavors

Blueberry, Licorice, Tobacco and Mineral

nose

Intense, Seductive and Opulent

recommend

Yes

taste

Balanced, Well-Integrated, Mature, Full-bodied, Ripe, Firm, Refined, Sweet and Sweet tannins

Verdict

Average and Intelligent

Written Notes

Solaia was one of the forerunners of the Super Tuscan category seeing daylight in 1978. Antinori’s Tignanello had been a mainly Sangiovese based winewith some Cabernet Sauvignon. Solaia has majority of Cabernet in the blend, a style that was to become very popular in Tuscany. The 1997 vintage was legendary in Tuscany. Frost in April limited the size of the crop but contributed to quality. The ripe super vintage’scharacteristics were well evidenced in Solaia 1997.
Deep, dark, purple youthful colour. Rich and voluptuous nose of blueberries, boysenberries, dark chocolate,and vegetal notes. The nuances increase over time with liquorice and tobacco complementing the layered character. Full-bodied with ripe fruitiness and smooth firm tannins. Intense and mineral wine with impressive body-weight and length. A super vintage for Solaia that is starting to see its peak, but will develop positively until 2025.

  • 96p

We two-stepped to Tuscany with a 1997 Solaia. There were herbs and spices almost a la Chartreuse, and this was clearly a different category from that of Piedmont. It got more herbal and a bit confused in the glass (93).

  • 93p
A former Number 1 Wine of the Year from a well-known mag, this showed that they got it right, at least amongst the SuperTuscans from that vintage. It was the pick. Opened a little blocky but moved into appealing dark fruits and fungal notes. Supple with very fine tannins, this had the better structure of all of the wines in the set. Rather bold in style. Full-flavoured, with good grip and decent length. Good bottles may offer even more in time but generally, best enjoyed sooner than later. 94
  • 94p

Deep dark purple youthful colour. Rich and voluptuous nose of blue berries, boysenberries, dark chocolate and vegetal notes. The nuances increase over time with licorice and tobacco complementing the layered character. Full-bodied with ripe fruitiness and smooth firm tannins. Intense and mineral wine with impressive body-weight and length. A supervintage for Solaia that is starting to see its peak, but will develop positively until 2025

  • 96p
Solaia 1997 was aromatically a very interesting, maybe great wine. In the beginning too ripe in it’s fruit and too alcoholic on the nose, but after a few minutes in the glass the aromas changed and became much fresher, almost menthol-like. The finish however was disappointingly short.
  • 88p
A deep, dark magenta colour. Juicy, big nose has the aroma of dark berries: blackcurrant, blueberry and boysenberry. Multilayered nose. Under the berry aromas lies dark chocolate, vegetelness, liquorice and tobacco. The full-bodied flavour has an ample and very ripe fruitiness as well as abundant ripe tannins. The flavour also offers caramel and cream. The finish is intense, multilayered and very long, with ripe fruitiness, dark berry essences and minerality. This wine is long-lived, in its prime from 2015 to 2025.
  • 95p
Load more notes

Information

Origin

Florence, Tuscany

Vintage Quality

Excellent

Value For Money

Best buy

Investment potential

Below Average

Fake factory

None

Other wines from this producer

Badia a Passignano Chianti Classico Riserva

Badia A Passignano Chianti Classico Riserva

Bramito del Cervo Chardonnay

Franciacorta

Franciacorta Rosé

La Braccesca Merlot

Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva

Marchese Antinori Donna Cora

Marchese Antinori Nature

Pèppoli Chianti Classico

Pian delle Vigne Brunello di Montalcino

Pian delle Vigne Vigna Ferrovia Riserva

Santa Cristina

Tignanello

Villa Antinori

Villa Antinori Bianco

Villa Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva

Villa Antinori Rosso

Vinsanto Tenute Marchese Antinori

Xanto

Incorrect Information
If you found some information that is wrong, let us know
Are you sure you want do delete this wine? All information will be lost.
Are you sure you want to recommend this wine?
Are you sure you want hide this written note ?
Are you sure you want show this written note ?
UPGRADE MEMBER PLAN
Upgrade your membership now, it's quick and easy. We use PayPal, the world's largest payment system, it accepts all credit cards. Once you've chosen your membership level, you'll go directly to PayPal. You can cancel your membership at any time.
Thank you for your support!
 

Pro Member

 

Winemerchant Member

 

Winery Member

 

User

 
Type a message ...
Register to Tastingbook
Sign up now, it's quick and easy.
We use PayPal, the world's largest payment system, it accepts all credit cards.
Once you've chosen your membership level, you'll go directly to PayPal, where you can sign up for a free 7-day trial period. You can cancel your membership at any time. We wish you a rewarding journey to the world of Fine Wines.

Free 7 days Member trial

 

Member

 

Pro Member

 

Winemerchant Member

 

Winery Member

 

User

  Register