Reviews & Scores
Expressive and appealing right from the start, the nose offers tobacco, blackcurrant and a tangle of herbs. Conversely, the palate has a slightly austere and drying edge, although nuances of dried dark plum and iron are appetising. While the tannins could smooth out more, flavours are quite developed, suggesting that this will give the most pleasure now and over the next few years – especially with a juicy grilled steak.
DE92February 2018
The bottle I opened a few nights ago was gorgeous. It shows alluring aromas and flavors of currants and raspberries with hints of balsamic and mint. It's full and round in the mouth. It's so youthful still. Just a baby. Drink or hold.
JS97June 2016
For many years, the 1997 Solaia was super-concentrated. Actually, it still is pretty intense, but over the last few years, some of the baby fat has begun to melt away, revealing a wine with tons of nuance. The 1997 clearly belongs in this flight of milestones. This is another memorable Solaia with no signs of fading.
VM95December 2013
Top-echelon, with a stunning purity and depth of layered fruit both sensuous and intellectually appealing. The dark cherry and plum core is oak-enveloped with rarely seen seamlessness, while the big but supple mouthfeel belies the wine’s profound power and structure. A classic effort marked by perfect fruit-to-acid balance, firm, refined tannins and a seemingly endless finish. *Editor's Choice*
WE97September 2001
Saturated, solid ruby-black. Powerful nose of blackcurrants, blackberries, sweet herbs, and vanilla; focused and penetrating. Rich and potent in flavor, with concentrated cassis fruit of impeccable ripeness. Complementary notes of chocolate and tar. Sumptuous and authoritative; iron and velvet in perfect symbiosis. Antinori CEO is Renzo Cotarella, a professional winemaker with a doctorate in chemistry-a telling indication of the firm's priorities.
ST96July 2000
The unfiltered 1997 Solaia (75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese, and 5% Cabernet Franc, from a single 25-acre vineyard) is aged in 100% new French oak. There are 8,000 cases of the 1997. The sensational, opaque blue/purple-colored 1997 exhibits a complex nose of cedar, spice box, cassis, and subtle oak. With yields of only 30 hectoliters per hectare, and malolactic fermentation in barrel (a la Tignanello), this wine reveals extraordinary concentration, a thick, viscous texture, yet no sense of heaviness or ponderousness. It is a thrilling Solaia to consume over the next two decades. If a first-growth Pauillac were made in Tuscany, this would be it!
WA96February 2000
Expressive and appealing right from the start, the nose offers tobacco, blackcurrant and a tangle of herbs. Conversely, the palate has a slightly austere and drying edge, although nuances of dried dark plum and iron are appetising. While the tannins could smooth out more, flavours are quite developed, suggesting that this will give the most pleasure now and over the next few years – especially with a juicy grilled steak.
DC92