I don’t often throw the word “unicorn” around, but if ever a wine deserved the title, Soldera is it. The Wine Advocate describes Soldera as one of the great experiences in the world of wine” and “utterly spellbinding. Vinous’ Antonio Galloni writes that these are “some of the most hauntingly beautiful, profound wines anywhere in the world” and that today’s specific vintage is “ravishing,” “sensual,” “extraordinary,” and those “lucky enough to find the 2008 are in for a thrill.” You can imagine the rabid demand generated by such unanimous, full-throated praise, right?
Then, consider that six consecutive yet-to-be-released vintages of this famously scarce treasure were almost entirely vandalized in 2012, leaving only a few hundred cases to satisfy the world for much of the next decade. In one night, prices skyrocketed and acquiring a bottle of Soldera became a far-off fantasy for most consumers. So, it is exhilarating enough to be offering Soldera for the first time in SommSelect’s existence—and we’re doubling down with a ready-to-drink, back-vintage release of 2008, one of the undisputedly finest Soldera vintages of the last four decades!
Jancis Robinson MW is not hyperbolizing when she states that Gianfranco Soldera is Brunello di Montalcino’s “most celebrated producer.” Even though Soldera has long since dispensed with the DOCG collar appellation name on his bottles, his wines remain the most revered in the region. The Soldera mystique is a product of many variables, including the famously paradoxical and cantankerous 81-year-old Gianfranco himself. Ever dismissive of hierarchy and elitism in the wine business, Soldera often refuses to take visits from critics or fellow legends of the trade. He has vocally and publicly attacked his neighbors in the Brunello di Montalcino DOCG for illegally adding Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon to help pander their wines to critics and modern palates. Still, his kindness and generosity with aspiring young winemakers in the region and “regular joe” visitors to Tuscany is well-known. He is also an active philanthropist, proudly supporting children's charities across the world. I was honored to share an intimate meal with Gianfranco two years ago and can confirm that it’s all true: he is fiery, opinionated, and polarizing, but there lies an incredibly sweet and gentle man behind it all.
As a viticulturist and master of the cellar, Gianfranco is renowned for his obsessively scientific approach. For almost half a century, Soldera has farmed his small parcel of Sangiovese vines with microscopic attention to detail and never one drop of chemical herbicides or fertilizer. He employs elaborate underground soil monitoring and above ground cameras to observe and track vines’ health and evolution. The property could easily be managed by a few workers, but Soldera employs a small army to help realize his vision. As a result, his estate in Montalcino is as verdant and thriving a landscape as one will ever encounter in Tuscany. I visit dozens of organic vineyards each year but there are only a handful that are stewarded with the care and attention seen at Soldera. And the same goes for Gianfranco’s cellar happenings too: long, indigenous fermentations and aging for 63 whopping months in
large, Slavonian oak botti.
Of course, the defining element of the Soldera legend is the actual wine, and today we are sharing a near-perfect vintage, just as it’s entering what will be a multi-decade “peak” drinking window. Let me start by saying that Soldera is not a dark, alcoholic, dripping-in-sweet-oak Super Tuscan. Frankly, it’s the opposite. Today’s 2008 is undeniably a “super” wine and Tuscan through and through, but it is built for lovers of the most elegant Grand Cru Burgundy and the most delicate, antique Barolo and Barbaresco of yesteryear. You will not find the heavy handed chocolate or berry liqueur aromas that dominate many high-priced Tuscan reds, but instead an elaborate and ever-evolving aromatic mosaic of truffles, wild flowers, dried herbs, and savory red fruit. You can feel the dimensional soil character in each sip, and there is a sense of detail here that overwhelms the senses. One quality that makes Soldera one of the great investment values of the boutique wine world is its capacity for seemingly indefinite improvement in the cellar. I’ve enjoyed bottles dating back close to the property’s inception in the 1970’s, and they only seem to get better with each passing year. With miles-deep minerality and such densely layered architecture, today’s 2008 is sure to provide an almost spiritual drinking experience until 2040 and beyond. Still, if enjoying today, please decant for 2 hours before serving in large Burgundy stems (not Bordeaux stems like most Tuscan wines, please!). If you have some time on your hands after this bottle arrives at your door, I strongly encourage you to devote a day to slow roasting a bone-in veal breast. There are few more ideal companions to the depth and savor of today’s legendary wine—enjoy it!
