Solai

[sweetpea]

I have been given 6 of these from 1996.

Does anyone know them?

I am told this is a great Super Tuscan.  What does it mean?

[Adam_Balic]

Sweetpea - a "Super Tuscan" is the name given to a new (last 15-20 years?) style ofwine in Tuscany, which fall outside the legal definitions of the tradional appellations, but are very good. For example to get the appellation "Chianti Classico", the wine must be made in the Chianti Classico zone and must contain over 70% Sangiovese (grape variety) and meet several other definitions. If I make a wine that has 69% Sangiovese it can't be called Chianti Classico and gets "down" regulated to table wine "Vino Tabola". VTs would tradionaly be fairly low quality wine, obviously you can still make a great wine which falls outside the more tradional appellations, so to distinguish these new good wines from all the bulk table wines they became known as "Super Tuscans". They often contain Cab. Sav. or Cab. franc to give "backbone" to the Sangiovese grape variety and maybe make the wine taste more like what people are use to in French wines, but that is just being cynical.

Your wine comes from a good year, which is often over looked due to the great '97 vintage that followed it. If you intend to drink it yourself I would pick a nice meal and open up a bottle so that you can determine how long you would wish to keep the others.

[Ron Johnson]

The wine you have is Solaia.  It is an excellent super-tuscan, and quite expensive.

Mr. Balic did a fine job explaining super-tuscans, so I wont re-invent the wheel.  Basically, the winemakers in Tuscany found out that Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah do quite well in their climate and when blended with Sangiovese make a very interesting "new world" or "international" style wine.  Some have no sangiovese at all.

Most of the best super-tuscans, IMHO, come from a little town called Bolgheri, which is located on th coast of Tuscany.  Tenuta di Belvedere is located there, home of the famous Gaudo al Tasso.

Enjoy your Solaia.  Pronounced   So-Lie-yah.  I would drink one now, and then enjoy the remaining five at the rate of one per year.

[Adam_Balic]

That's Dr. Balic dude.

[sweetpea]

Dr. Balic and Ron Johnson,  thanks for the posts.  I will do just that. Drink one and save the rest.  My Uncle did say to me that these are good wines and I can save them for a long time.  Is that true?  I am very new to food.  As a student, I have little ability to support my own needs for trying the best.  I am often happy with reasonable and not so expensive alternatives.

I am sorry for having been so naive.  I hope that was OK?  I learned a lot already from this one thread.  Thanks.

May I call upon you gentlemen with more wine questions?

[Adam_Balic]

No worries mate. Yes you wine should last 10-15 years (actually, maybe longer), but it will change a great deal in this time, so maybe you should keep tasing notes, so that you can see how wine changes over time (and how you change as well!).

Ask as many questions as you like, my personal knowledge is limited, but there are plenty of other people here who can help you out.

[Ron Johnson]

That's Dr. Balic dude.

Oh, say it ain't so.   A Doctor of Divinity perhaps?

Sweetpea,

yes those wines will age but I would not take more than one or two past the 12 year mark.  As they are very "New World" in style, it is unknown how much secondary characteristics will develop once the fruit fades.  

The cool thing about them is that you will enjoy the one you drink this year for very different reasons than the one you drink in ten.

Also I would recommend decanting the first one you open, some air will help open the wine and show all of its amazing flavors.  Enjoy!

[Adam_Balic]

Divinity, nope, Philosophy.