Solaia 2017

This is silky with a dark fruit feel and savoury rippling tannins that sculpt and lift the cassis fruit. As it opens, a sandalwood spice and rosemary aromatic speaks of Italy and gives an expansive twist to the black fruits. Despite a hot season, with just 300mm of rain for the growing season, this is concentrated but full of juice.

Score: 96

Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2024-2042 27 August 2020

The Marchesi Antinori 2017 Solaia offers a uniquely floral personality with wild rose and lilac that comes as a surprise, especially if you are expecting the more robust and opulent dark fruit associated with this vintage. To use a word that is popular now, the aromas are absolutely lifted. This is a bouquet-driven wine, showing great oak choices that are synergistic with the light and considerably thinner palate. Dried or pressed flowers cede to cherry, blueberry, some red meat char and a light touch of cinnamon. My impression is that the dry extract from the oak ultimately plays a bigger role in the overall flavor profile, preserving its red fruit core nevertheless. The wine is very accessible in terms of mouthfeel, showing a comparatively thinner and shorter approach. With more time in the glass, it offers some of the white soil dust that is a standard Solaia signature. It will be released the first week of September.

Score: 95

Monica Larner, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2021-2040 13 August 2020