Marchesi Antinori Solaia 2018

Italy / Tuscany

The Antinori family has been making wine for 26 generations. This makes it the ninth oldest family winery in the world. In 1900 Piero Antinori bought several vineyards in the Chianti Classico region. His son Niccolo caused a real scandal in Tuscany in 1924 by making a Chianti from Bordeaux grape varieties. Niccolo handed the reins to his son Piero in 1966, who proved to be just as pioneering. Solaia was the first Italian wine to be named "World's Number One Wine" by Wine Spectator, while Piero Antinori was the first Italian to be named "Man of the Year" by Decanter. Monica Larner for Robert Parker: “Marchesi Antinori's 2018 Solaia shows a silky and elegant personality, and the wine moves away from the robust fruit load and dark concentration we've seen in the past. This elegant vintage is characterized by purity and focus of fruit, with black plum, cassis, blue flower, pencil marks and lots of sweet spiciness from the oak reminiscent of cloves and toasted almonds.”