NV Soldera Vertical (1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 – ex Rino Fontana)

1991 Soldera The 1991 Brunella di Montalcino Riserva has no problem following the 1990. A wine of delicacy and finesse, the 1991 is ethereal, translucent and wonderfully expressive right out of the gate. Orange peel, chalk, mint, cinnamon and kirsch lend an exotic flair that is impossible to miss. The 1991 is such an eye-opening Brunella. Among Soldera cognoscenti, the 1991 Riserva is a sort of unicorn. I have had it only a few times but have never encountered such a pristine example. Sublime. 98Pts Antonio Galloni 1993 Soldera Broad, ample and resonant, the 1993 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is fabulous Rose petals, spice, blood orange and macha meld into a core of deep, layered red-toned fruit. The wine's density and overall palate presence are simply remarkable The 1993 Riserva has long been an under-the-radar gem among Saldera's wines from this era. 96Pts Antonio Galloni 1994 Soldera The 1994 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is a fitting wine to round out the first day of this very special retrospective featuring wines back to the inaugural 1977. Powerful and explosive to the care, the 1994 is seriously beautiful. Strong savory and floral notes lend striking inner perfume to a Riserva endowed with tremendous depth and overall intensity. Magnificent. 97Pts Antonio Galloni 1995 Soldera The 1995 Brunello di Mantalcino Riserva Case Basse is not too far behind its sibling. It shares the same explosive energy found in the Intistieti Riserva but showcases a slightly more translucent, nuanced and open-knit side of Sangiovese. Tasting both 1995 Riservas together is an exhilarating experience I will not soon forget. 97Pts Anotnio Galloni 1996 Soldera Saldera's 1996 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is in fine shape. I chose to serve it at this portion of our lunch as I thought the 1996 would be less interesting than the mare important vintages of the 1990s, but that turned out to be only partly true, In another setting, the 1996 would have likely stolen the show. In this tasting, it is merely outstanding. Dark, powerful, yet also incredibly elegant, the 1996 offers a compelling interplay of dark-toned fruit wrapped into a muscular, tannic frame. Production was down sharply in 1996. As a result, Soldera bottled just one wine, a blend from the Case Basse and Intistieti vineyards. This is a superb bottle. 95Pts Antonio Galloni 1997 Soldera The 1997 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is another stunner. The opulence of the year comes through in a Riserva that emphasizes textural opulence and creaminess above all else. In that sense, it shares some stylistic qualities with the 1983s and 1990s Ripe, sweet tarinins enshroud a core of juicy Sangiovese fruit. This hedonistic, sexy Riserva is still so young Well-stored bottles will offer tremendous pleasure over the next 20 years, maybe more. 97Pts Antonio Galloni 1998 Soldera The 1998 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is better than I expected. It shows the medium-bodied structure of the year, with a compelling inner perfume that adds an exotic sensual flair. Red cherry, kirsch, white flower and mint build effortlessly, all framed by ripe tannins that add to an impression of finesse. 96Pts Antonio Galloni 1999 Soldera A powerful deep wine, the 1999 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva brings this flight of 1990s Brunellos to a rousing finish. Dark cherry, lavender, licorice, spice and tobacco saturate the palate as this explosive, ample Riserva shaws off its considerable pedigree. The muscular style of the year is very much in evidence. Superb. 97Pts Antonio Galloni 2000 Soldera Next, we move into to a flight of Riservas, vintages I expected to be quite open and ready to drink. The 2000 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva does not disappoint. Medium in bocly, silky and perfumed, the 2000 is a fine place to offer maximum drinking pleasure today. Hints of plum, spice, leather and dried flowers grace this pliant, super-expressive Brunello The 2000 is all elegance and class. It's a fine choice for drinking now. 94Pts Antonio Galloni 2009 Soldera The 2009 Toscana Sangiovese is another soft, silky wine, in line with the 2007 in this flight. Open-knit aromatics and silky contours run through this soft, mid-weight Sangiovese. Hints of kirsch, sweet red cherry, wildflowers and hard candy linger. 93Pts Antonio Galloni 2011 Soldera The 2011 Toscana Sangiovese is an intriguing wine. Upon first tasting it, I was concerned with its somewhat dry tannins, but several hours later, it had opened beautifully. The 2011 is a lighter wine, as is generally true of the Sangioveses made from 2007 through 2012, and yet it has a good overall balance once given the time to come together. Even so, I would prefer to drink this over the next handful of years. 92Pts Antonio Galloni 2014 Soldera The product of a cool, rainy season, the 2014 Toscana Sangiovese remains bright and nervy in feel. White pepper, rose petals, mint, herbs and blood orange race across the palate. The 2014 is a shy wine, one with fruit very much in the background. It will be interesting to see how this ages. Today, the 2014 on the austere side. 95Pts Antonio Galloni 2016 Soldera The 2016 Toscana Sangiovese finds Gianfranco Soldera at his best. A complex, dynamic wine, the 2016 possesses explosive energy to match its electric personality. Macerated cherry, herbs, dried rose petals, cedar and wildflowers are some of the many notes that come alive in the glass. The wine's deep, layered character and overall nuance are the stuff dreams are made of. Superb. 97Pts Antonio Galloni 2017 Soldera The 2017 Toscana Sangiovese is the last wine I tasted with Gianfranco Saldera before he passed away in 2019. I had a visit scheduled for late August that year, but on unusually early harvest required Soldera to push back my tasting by a few days. By the time I arrived at Case Basse in early September, all the grapes had been picked, and our tasting started with those young musts. Today, the 2017 is sensual and racy, showing all the open-knit, seductive character of this dry, warm vintage. Soft contours wrap around a core of red berry fruit, kirsch, rose petals, mint and cinnamon. This will be a gorgeous wine to follow over the next two decades or more, but cellaring is not at all essential. 97Pts Antonio Galloni 2018 Soldera Not yet scored 2019 Soldera Not yet scored