Vinification
Climate
The season began with a particularly mild winter with very little rain, which caused sprouting and all other vegetative phases of the plants to take place earlier than usual. The temperatures during the first months of summer were rather hot, while in August temperatures cooled down, allowing the plants' vegetative development to proceed normally. Nevertheless, harvesting was initiated a bit ahead of schedule with respect to the average timing of preceding vintages. In September and October, the days were hot and sunny and the nights were cool, thus creating great temperature fluctuations. These fluctuations, in turn, guaranteed higher quality grapes, especially in the case of sangiovese. Right from the beginning of the process of vinification, it was clear that the clusters, and therefore also the must, were of an excellent quality. Besides having very intense aromas and colors, the sangiovese and cabernet varietals differentiated themselves by their strong typicity. The optimal climatic conditions allowed the harvest, which took place between mid-September and the first week of October, to be carried out in a precise manner with an accurate selection of only the best grape bunches.
Vinification
Due to the favorable climatic conditions during harvest time, the grapes from the Solaia vineyards could be picked according to their stage of ripeness, which resulted from their exposure to the sun as well as from the strength of the plants. We thereby obtained very high quality grapes. But despite these advantageous conditions it was still necessary to carefully hand select the grape bunches, so as to ensure the delivery of only perfect grapes in the winery—a necessity for obtaining a qualitatively high profile wine. Harvesting was done strictly by hand and, as in previous years, during vinification a lot of attention was paid to the processes of fermentation and extraction. The subsequent operations of dèlestage and pumping over were also conducted in a manner which preserved the varietal aromas and the heightened color content of the grapes. Fermentation for each varietal (sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon, and cabernet franc), took place at a temperature of around 27°C and never exceeded 31°C, in order to best preserve the olfactory characteristics and the typicity of the grapes, which were clearly present in the raw material. The musts showed complexity and varietal typicity in their aromas, demonstrating an elegance and color which foreshadowed that this would be an excellent vintage. After first racking, which was carried out when alcoholic fermentation had finished, the wines were put into oak barrels where malolactic fermentation took place by year's end. The wine was aged in French new oak barrels for approximately 18 months. Throughout this time, the various lots were individually looked after and were tasted continuously in order to control and obtain the best results possible from their aging process in the wood barrels. As usual, the evolution of each barrique was carefully monitored so as to control and guarantee the elegance and character of the tannins: which are also a result of the periodic racking that was carried out. The wine was subsequently blended and bottled on the estate, then aged for one more year in the bottle before being released on the market.
Historical Data
Solaia is a 50 acre (20 hectare) vineyard with a southwestern exposure located at an altitude between 1150 and 1325 feet (350-400 meters) above sea level and with a stony soil of “alberese” (hard limestone) and “galestro” (flaky calcareous clay) rock. The vineyard is located at the Tignanello estate. The Antinori family produced this wine for the first time in the year 1978, and the initial blend was 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Cabernet Franc, a formula repeated in 1979 as well. In the following years, 20% of Sangiovese was introduced and certain adjustments were also made in the rapport between Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc until the current blend was settled upon. Solaia is produced only in exceptional vintage, and was not produced in 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, and 1992.
Tasting Notes
Solaia 2007 is a very complex wine with a solid and full-bodied structure. The aroma is fruity, intense, and sweet with notes of ripe cabernet which give the wine a strong individual identity. In the mouth the tannins are soft, gentle, and harmonious. The varietal notes are dominant and work together to indulge the palate with a long and wonderfully persistent finish.
Awards
Associazione Italiana Sommelier "Duemilavini 2011" Guide 5 Grappoli Italia Falstaff "Chianti Classico e Super Tuscans": 95/100 Austria Gambero Rosso "Vini d'Italia 2011" Guide Tre Bicchieri Italia I Vini Di Veronelli 2011 Super Tre Stelle Italia Antonio Galloni 97/100 USA James Suckling 97/100 USA Wine Advocate Score 97/100 USA Wine Spectator 94/100 USA
Climate
The season began with a particularly mild winter with very little rain, which caused sprouting and all other vegetative phases of the plants to take place earlier than usual. The temperatures during the first months of summer were rather hot, while in August temperatures cooled down, allowing the plants' vegetative development to proceed normally. Nevertheless, harvesting was initiated a bit ahead of schedule with respect to the average timing of preceding vintages. In September and October, the days were hot and sunny and the nights were cool, thus creating great temperature fluctuations. These fluctuations, in turn, guaranteed higher quality grapes, especially in the case of sangiovese. Right from the beginning of the process of vinification, it was clear that the clusters, and therefore also the must, were of an excellent quality. Besides having very intense aromas and colors, the sangiovese and cabernet varietals differentiated themselves by their strong typicity. The optimal climatic conditions allowed the harvest, which took place between mid-September and the first week of October, to be carried out in a precise manner with an accurate selection of only the best grape bunches.
The History
Back in 1928, Niccolò Antinori decided to christen this wine Villa Antinori, in honor of the family’s eponymous villa; it was a reflection of his own personal interpretation of Chianti Classico’s and Tuscany’s unique identity.
The Style
Villa Antinori was first crafted in 1928 by Marchese Niccolò Antinori, Piero Antinori’s father, as the Antinori family’s signature wine; an exceptional wine that can represent the family’s history, identity and continuity like no other. “Villa Antinori is a full-blooded Tuscan red […] which grapes are grown, mature and are harvested from our Tuscan estates and then fermented and aged in the Antinori family estates.” Piero Antinori.
The design
The label’s design represents our concept of home, our territory and Tuscany. “The French have châteaux, but we have Villas!” Niccolò Antinori cheerfully explained his choice for the illustration on the front label, an innovative design that broke with more traditional packaging conventions of that time.
In Honor of the Monaldeschi della Cervara Family
The wine’s name honors the Monaldeschi della Cervara family who was the historic owner of Castello della Sala in the XVI century.
An old railway station
The Vignaferrovia vineyard takes its name from a characteristic old nineteenth century railway station still located a short distance from the vines.
Grown in an area with Great Potential
Poggio alle Nane comes from a winegrowing area well known for its production of high quality wines, an area in which both Cabernet and Carménère best express their characteristics.
A red amidst whites
At Castello della Sala, an area historically important for white wines, Pinot Nero offers an authentic and typical expression of its variety with a strong territorial character.
An ancient grape variety
Aleatico, an old and traditional Tuscan grape variety grown since Etruscan times, is able to give a modern expression of itself in this unique territory.
Villa del Cigliano
Villa del Cigliano, located in the gently rolling hillsides of San Casciano Val di Pesa, in the province of Florence, has always been a symbol of strong family relationships; the villa has watched over the lives of generations of Antinori family members since 1546, the year Alessandro di Niccolò Antinori became the owner of the property.
The Design
The label was designed by Silvio Coppola in 1974 for the release of Tignanello 1971. The idea to commission this artist was discussed at an event at Castello della Sala in 1973. Silvio Coppola was an important Italian graphic and interior designer who was famous for his minimalist lighting fixtures and austere furniture but also for book cover designs for Italian publishing company Feltrinelli. Silvio Coppola was the perfect match for the job.
The Bolgheri Amphitheater
The Guado al Tasso estate’s most characteristic geographic feature is the Bolgheri Amphitheater, a beautiful plain encircled by rolling hillsides that faces the Tyrrhenian Sea. The shape of the territory creates a unique microclimate with beneficial temperature fluctuations. The estate’s vineyards are located at the foot of the amphitheater, an optimal position as cold nocturnal breezes cool down the vines. These particular climatic conditions give the grapes pronounced aromas and guarantee a perfect ripening of the berries.
The Barrique
Cervaro della Sala was one of the first Italian white wines to have malolactic fermentation and aging take place in barriques.
The Name
Poggio alle Nane’s name comes from the area where its vines grow. Duck breeding farms once existed and the name “Nane” is local dialect for duck. The vineyards extend from the hillside to the lake that are still part of the property.
Rocky soils
The Vignaferrovia vineyard grows on rocky, gravelly soils, a condition that naturally limits the grapevine’s growth rate and enhances the quality of the berries.
Winding vineyards
The 4 hectares (10 acres) of Pinot Nero grow along the hillsides shaping the landscape into a series of sinuous terraced vineyards.
A single letter symbol
“A” represents in one single letter the combination of the estate’s initials, Fattoria Aldobrandesca, and the grape’s variety, Aleatico.
The Signature
Marchese Piero Antinori, the current Honorary President, decided to have his father, Niccolò Antinori, sign the label as a sign of recognition for his father’s confidence in him.
Te Duce Proficio
Guado al Tasso added the Antinori family’s historic family crest on the capsules.
The Concept
The idea behind Cervaro della Sala was to craft a white wine able to age over time.
Sea breezes
Southwestern vineyard exposure allows sea breezes to mitigate hot summer temperatures and limit heat spikes.
Understanding nature
The particularly hot climate of Castello della Sala has forced agronomists to invent new ways to protect the grapes from the hot summer sun. The vines’ shoots are allowed to grow in length and are then folded over the plant so its leaves can shade the Pinot Nero grape clusters.
A Pursuit for Balance
“A” was crafted following the family’s pursuit for exceptional balance between Aleatico’s pronounced character and the unique qualities of the estate’s volcanic soils.
Te Duce Proficio
The historic family crest of the Antinori family
A Tribute to the Della Gherardesca Family
Guado al Tasso designed a label with the Della Gherardesca family crest and the initials DG as a tribute to the former estate owners.
The Enologist
In 1985, Renzo Cotarella, who was chief enologist at Castello della Sala at that time, made the first vintage of Cervaro della Sala.
A personal interpretation
The Antinori family wanted to give their own deeply personal interpretation of the historic wine, Brunello di Montalcino.
The Sun
Tignanello’s stylized “Sun” by Silvio Coppola
Antinori Estates
Estates in Italy
