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. (Remy-Amerique, New York, NY)

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Subtle, savoury nose but not as intense as the 2007. Looks quite mature and a lovely fresh frisky wine. Good balance even if not concentrated. Slight dustiness. Vines 10 years younger, but 1997 was not as good a vintage as 2007 according to Piero Antinori. Very appetising and clarety.

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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!

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Dark ruby in color, with extremely ripe raisin and spice aromas. Full-bodied and very chewy, with loads of polished tannins and a long, long finish that's big and fruity. A solid, muscular red from Tuscany, this is the greatest Solaia ever made. 7,000 cases made.

Professional content appears courtesy of Vinfolio

Professional content appears courtesy of Vinfolio