2015 Solengo, Argiano, Tuscany, Italy
Critics reviews
Monica Larner - 28/02/2018
About this WINE
Argiano
Tenuta di Argiano was established in 1879 and since 1992 has been owned by Countess Noemi Marone Cinzano. The estate is now managed by Sebastiano Rosa, who learnt his trade in California, followed by stints at Lafite-Rothschild and Sassicaia. Winemaking guru Giacomo Tachis acts as a consultant.
The vineyards are superbly situated on the famous Montalcino hill on a south-facing limestone plateau nearly 1000ft above sea level. Yields are restricted through extensive crop-thinning in the summer and very careful fruit selection at harvest time. The grapes are hand harvested and then fermented, before being aged for 3 years in oak barrels.
This is new-wave Brunello: richer in fruit, riper, with smoother tannins, more elegant, more balanced and more accessible in its youth.
Sangiovese
A black grape widely grown in Central Italy and the main component of Chianti and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano as well as being the sole permitted grape for the famed Brunello di Montalcino.
It is a high yielding, late ripening grape that performs best on well-drained calcareous soils on south-facing hillsides. For years it was blighted by poor clonal selection and massive overcropping - however since the 1980s the quality of Sangiovese-based wines has rocketed upwards and they are now some of the most sought after in the world.
It produces wines with pronounced tannins and acidity, though not always with great depth of colour, and its character can vary from farmyard/leather nuances through to essence of red cherries and plums. In the 1960s the advent of Super Tuscans saw bottlings of 100% Sangiovese wines, as well as the introduction of Sangiovese/Cabernet Sauvignon blends, the most famous being Tignanello.
When is a wine ready to drink?
We provide drinking windows for all our wines. Alongside the drinking windows there is a bottle icon and a maturity stage. Bear in mind that the best time to drink a wine does also depend on your taste.
Not ready
These wines are very young. Whilst they're likely to have lots of intense flavours, their acidity or tannins may make them feel austere. Although it isn't "wrong" to drink these wines now, you are likely to miss out on a lot of complexity by not waiting for them to mature.
Ready - youthful
These wines are likely to have plenty of fruit flavours still and, for red wines, the tannins may well be quite noticeable. For those who prefer younger, fruitier wines, or if serving alongside a robust meal, these will be very enjoyable. If you choose to hold onto these wines, the fruit flavours will evolve into more savoury complexity.
Ready - at best
These wines are likely to have a beautiful balance of fruit, spice and savoury flavours. The acidity and tannins will have softened somewhat, and the wines will show plenty of complexity. For many, this is seen as the ideal time to drink and enjoy these wines. If you choose to hold onto these wines, they will become more savoury but not necessarily more complex.
Ready - mature
These wines are likely to have plenty of complexity, but the fruit flavours will have been almost completely replaced by savoury and spice notes. These wines may have a beautiful texture at this stage of maturity. There is lots to enjoy when drinking wines at this stage. Most of these wines will hold in this window for a few years, though at the very end of this drinking window, wines start to lose complexity and decline.
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Description
Argiano has been doing terrific work lately with this historic blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with Petit Verdot, Syrah and Merlot. The 2015 Solengo is especially exuberant, concentrated and dark in this warm and sunny vintage. The previous vintage (2014) is perhaps more veiled and subtle, whereas this wine plays its cards in an immediate and upfront manner. It shows confidence and determination. This is a softly enriched red wine with black fruit, dried blackberry aromas, exotic spice, savory smoke and cured tobacco.
Monica Larner - 28/02/2018
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