Solaia 1997 - Domaine Marchesi Antinori

Domaine Marchesi Antinori

Great Italian wine estate

The story of this legendary Italian wine began in Tuscany in 1385, when the founder Giovanni di Piero Antinori became a member of the "Arte Fiorentina dei Vinattieri", the famous winemakers guild of Florence. Giovanni came from a wealthy family of Italian merchants based in the Mugello region. He wanted to diversify his activities by investing in the wine business, on top of the traditional silk trading business the Antinori had been known for since 1285. The success of the young winemaker's first Chianti appellation was almost immediate.

26 generations of Antinori ended up working in the wine estate. Among the most famous ones was the Marchese (since the Antinoris had the right to use the title of "Marquis" since the 18th century) Piero Antinori. He created the very first "Super Tuscan" wine, with his Tignanello cuvée produced in 1971. The Solaia cuvée would soon follow, in 1978. Pierro currently manages the estate with his three daughters: Albiera, Allegra and Alessia. The Antinori family owns 9 estates in Italy, which represents more than 1,000 hectares of vineyard in total. They have also created other estates in California, Hungary, Romania... The Antinori stay close to their roots but they also never miss an occasion to innovate.

The star of the estate is the "Villa Antinori" wine, an IGT Toscana cuvée designed by the late Niccolò Antinori, in 1928. Back then, he wanted to produce a Chianti Classico that could age more gracefully in a cellar. It was made using Sangiovese and Syrah grape varieties. As for the estate in itself, it has become quite famous for the renovation work done in 2012. The ultramodern building is now integrated into the hillside and is open to the public. The idea is that visitors should be able to experience the history of the Antinori family, as a way to better appreciate its wines.

Discover the incredible Marchesi Antinori wine estate.