Argiano's 'solitary wild boar'
Super-Tuscan: the inspired marriage of Bordeaux varieties and Tuscan terroir. It turns out that the two just have a natural affinity. You can find Super-Tuscans all over Tuscany, but the genre is mainly associated with Bolgheri and the Maremma, the Tuscan seaboard where they first took root. Montalcino has largely swerved the trend, presumably because it does so well out of Brunello, but there is one standout example: Solengo.
In the early 1990s, the Brunello estate Argiano began to work with oenologist Giacomo Taschis (the undoubted father of the Super-Tuscan genre). They experimented with Bordeaux varieties, and the eventual result was Solengo. In the local dialect, this name means 'solitary wild boar', which seemed appropriate for a wine breaking away from the Montalcino pack. In most vintages it is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Sangiovese.
2018 was a warm year in Montalcino, though not as excessively hot as many winemaking parts of Europe, and 2018 Solengo enjoys a sense of freshness counterpointing the ripe, intense fruit. It is concentrated and sappy, with a bouquet that is as much floral as it is fruit-driven. Dark fruit notes (very Cabernet) mingle with cherry (very Italian, very Sangiovese). The silky mouthfeel accelerates towards the characteristic Petit Verdot spice on the lifted, energetic finish. It is a lovely example of Franco-Italian affinity. /NT
