Argiano Toscana Solengo 750 ML

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There is no doubting the phenomenal quality of the 2000 Solengo, a blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah with a tiny dollop of Petit Verdot included in the blend. Its opaque ruby/purple color is followed by a stunning perfume of creme de cassis, blackberries, espresso, licorice, and new saddle leather. Full-bodied, sensationally concentrated, pure, and well-textured, with a 45-second finish, this unformed, youthful black beauty possesses extraordinary upside potential. Producer Information Argiano is an estate in the Tuscan region of Montalcino. It is well-known for its Sangiovese-based red wines under the traditional Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, and more modern red wines under the IGT Toscana designation. Argiano’s history dates back to the construction of the villa, which dates back to the late 16th Century. By the time it was completed in 1596, it is believed the estate had started to produce wine (records show olive oil was being produced at this time). The land and villa changed ownership between various aristocratic families but only flourished as a winery in the 19th Century after it came into the possession of Lady Ersilia Caetani Lovatelli. In 1967, Argiano was a founding member of the Brunello Consortium set up to advance and promote the wine region. In 2013, the estate was sold to a Brazilian business group, which began to make improvements to the winery and increased land holdings from 50 to 60 hectares (124 to 150 acres). Argiano makes several wines: the flagship Brunello di Montalcino and Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, Vigna del Suolo (a single-vineyard Brunello); a Rosso di Montalcino; and two IGT wines called Solengo and Non Confunditur. Suolo, like the Brunello, is 100 percent Sangiovese, but the Solengo and Non Confunditur wines are both Bordeaux blends with a little Syrah, and in the case of the Non Confunditur, Sangiovese. Total production is around 337,000 bottles of which roughly 100,000 are Brunello di Montalcino. Argiano was one of the producers accused of using non-permissible grapes in their blends as part of the “Brunellogate” scandal in 2009. During the investigation, Argiano declassified its Brunello and sold it with the broader IGT designation in order to stay in the market. Argiano was absolved of all charges after an appeal.