Antinori Solaia IGT 2018

Solaia anchors Antinori's Bolgheri portfolio as a Cabernet-led expression from vines planted on the estate's southeast-facing slopes, where Pliocene clay and limestone soils drain toward the Tyrrhenian coast. The 2018 vintage comprises 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot, hand-harvested and destemmed before fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel. The wine underwent 18 months' aging in French oak (60% new, 40% one-year-old), followed by 12 months in bottle before release. Solaia's structural signature—firm tannin architecture balanced against mid-palate density—reflects Bolgheri's maritime influence and the careful phenolic management of its Cabernet parcels. The 2018 sits at the entry point of the wine's typical 15–20 year drinking window, showing primary cassis and graphite minerality with secondary leather and dried herb complexity emerging in glass.