Argiano Solengo 2021 (750ML)

95 JS / 95 FS / 93 WA

Fascinating aromas of blackcurrants, orange peel, stone, minerals and blanched walnuts follow through to a medium to full body with firm and polished tannins that deliver a pleasant, caressing mouthfeel. But it requires more bottle age, as expected. This needs two or three years to show more, but it’s already very pretty. Drink after 2026.-James Suckling

Rich, impenetrable ruby purple. Opens on the nose with pronounced spicy notes, resinous juniper, rich plum fruit, some dark pepper. Full-bodied and dense texture, lots of dark berryish fruit paired with fine spice, dense tannins, but also shows good flow, dark fruit and chocolate on the finish.-Falstaff

This blended red made with 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 15% Petit Verdot and 5% Sangiovese is always a bit of a shocker, especially when tasted within the context of this report that focuses almost entirely on Sangiovese-based wines. Given this backdrop, the Argiano 2021 Solengo appears super extracted, oak-driven and overblown from all points of view. It's all too much in the most opulent way. Spicy oak tones of toasted cinnamon and clove cut straight through blackberry confit and crème de cassis. The fruit flavors are jammy and syrupy. This wine catapults you straight out of the Sangiovese stratosphere, and that's exactly what makes it so much fun. Some 50,000 bottles were made.-Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate