What's Pressoir Drinking?

WHAT'S PRESSOIR DRINKING?

by Raj Vaidya
August 11, 2021

A celebration this past weekend gave me an awesome opportunity to taste a bottle from the storied producer Soldera, an icon of Brunello di Montalcino. It’s not often I get to taste these any more, partially because I’m no longer opening bottles all week long in a restaurant but mostly because his wines have become increasingly rare after a tragic act of vandalism destroyed a large part of his production in 2012, and he subsequently has released only tiny quantities of bottles. But this example from the late 90’s proved to be an absolute treat.

The 1998 vintage was hardly heralded in Tuscany, overshadowed by the high-point-scoring 1997’s and a tad hard and austere when released young. But this wine proved that the vintage had all the material and vivacity to balance out the high acid and tannin levels that lay underneath.

Notes of dried cherries and lavender, hints of hay and tobacco, yet still with robust freshness and floral fruit. The richness of the wine not withstanding, this felt like a fine and elegant Barolo on the palate. The length was immense too!