Solaia - Toscana IGT 2004

Solaia - Toscana IGT 2004

Following a very rainy autumn and a cold winter with abundant heavy rain, budbreak took place about 10-15 days later than average. There were frequent rains and cool temperatures during flowering and the foliage developed well although the initial delay also applied to the veraison and ripening phases. The harvest also took place a couple of weeks later than previous years, and was accompanied by frequent and quite heavy rain. Unlike 2003, with its high temperatures and dry weather, 2004 will be remembered for low temperatures and plenty of rain.

Given the weather trend, the harvest was postponed by two weeks. Compared to the very hot and dry 2003, extraction of the phenolic and aromatic components was problematic. Longer maceration with frequent delestage was necessary to obtain fruity, profound wines, with completion of alcoholic fermentation on the skins in full vats. The three grape varieties therefore required different maceration times, approximately as follows: three weeks for the Cabernet sauvignon, two weeks for the Cabernet franc and over four weeks for the Sangiovese. The fermentation temperature was increased by a couple of degrees per day, starting at 22°c and reaching 30°c. The wines were devatted and placed in new French oak barriques where malolactic fermentation was completed by the end of the year. After malolactic fermentation the wines were blended and remained in the barriques for a further 12 months, and racked in contact with the air three times. At the end of the ageing period the wine was tasted barrique by barrique and bottled after due selection.