Classification:
Toscana IGT
Blend:
75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet
Franc
Climate:
After a cold and snowy end to the year, 2011 began with
rather dry weather and a very mild early spring.
The heat of early April caused the vines to bud about 10 days earlier
than the historical average. May and June were
very favorable, with little rain and mild temperatures, and the
coolness of July allowed the vines to realign their phenological
phases. From the first ten days of
August, temperatures rose until well into mid-
September. Until the last days of September, the
Sangiovese grapes, due to the high temperatures,
slowly completed their ripening process, until, starting in the last ten days of
September, the climatic conditions changed:
Nighttime temperatures dropped, and the temperature range
allowed the grapes to evolve, so much so that the harvest
began on September 27th and was completed in
the first ten days of October. The Cabernet Franc had
an excellent evolution, the grapes ripened regularly
and were brought to the cellar between September 20th and 26th.
The Cabernet Sauvignon harvests were
concentrated in the first ten days of October,
beginning in the earliest parcels and ending in the
highest altitude areas.

Vinification:
During fermentation and maceration, in the 60-hl truncated cone-shaped tanks, the musts
slowly transformed into wine; Once the skins and wine were separated, malolactic fermentation began,
which, in barriques, enhanced the wine's finesse and pleasantness. The aging process then began,
which, in the case of the 2011 Solaia, lasted approximately 14 months in new
French oak barrels. During this period, the different lots, vinified separately based on the
variety and specific crops, aged in wood and were then blended a few months before
bottling.
Historical data:
Solaia is a vineyard of approximately 20 hectares with a southwest exposure, between 350 and 400 meters above sea level, on a
calcareous, rocky soil with alberese and galestro rock, located at Tenuta Tignanello. Marchesi
Antinori produced this wine for the first time with the 1978 vintage; The initial blend was 80%
Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc, a process repeated in 1979. In subsequent vintages,
20% Sangiovese was introduced, and some adjustments were made to the ratio of
Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, until reaching the current composition. Solaia is produced
only in exceptional years and was not produced in 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, and 1992.
Tasting notes:
Intense ruby ??red in color, at times impenetrable. On the nose, intense warm notes
reflect the seasonal trend, while maintaining a delicate freshness. On the palate,
ripe red fruit and spice, accompanied by deep, floral notes, define its
complex structure. On the palate, it is mellow, rich, enveloping, and sweet thanks to the presence of
firm, thick, and soft tannins. The acidity balance contributes to an excellent flavor expression and
a long, extremely pleasant finish.