2021 Solengo

Stunning from the first tilt of the glass, the 2021 Solengo lifts from the glass with an expressive bouquet of crushed blackberries and cherries, with sage and mint nuances to complement as a whiff of crushed ashen stone adds lovely complexity. Though silken and weighty upon entry, it quickly livens up as a core of brilliant acidity adds lift to its dark red and black fruits. Edgy tannins inform the long and structured finish, leaving the palate aching with youthful intensity even as dark primary fruits still saturate it. This is a beautifully balanced and detailed Solengo that will require patience to fully enjoy. The 2021 is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Petit Verdot, Merlot and Sangiovese.

This blended red made with 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 15% Petit Verdot and 5% Sangiovese is always a bit of a shocker, especially when tasted within the context of this report that focuses almost entirely on Sangiovese-based wines. Given this backdrop, the Argiano 2021 Solengo appears super extracted, oak-driven and overblown from all points of view. It's all too much in the most opulent way. Spicy oak tones of toasted cinnamon and clove cut straight through blackberry confit and crème de cassis. The fruit flavors are jammy and syrupy. This wine catapults you straight out of the Sangiovese stratosphere, and that's exactly what makes it so much fun. Some 50,000 bottles were made.