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“Move over Opus One, here comes
Col Solare,” wrote New York Times winetoday.com on the introduction of Col Solare in 1999. A wine of global distinction that quickly earned a place in the critics' hearts, Col Solare is a unique partnership between Tuscany's Marchesi Antinori and Washington State's Chateau Ste. Michelle.

A blended red wine with great structure and character from the vineyards of the Columbia Valley, Col Solare means “shining hill,” a reference to the sunny growing conditions of the region. The wines are styled for aging elegantly over time. Quantities are extremely limited.

1998 Col Solare: 92 Points
Wine Spectator:

" A particularly stylish red, rich and resonant, with a powerful mouthful of black cherry, anise, black pepper and cedar flavors, all echoing elegantly on the open-textured, focused finish. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. "

1998 Col Solare: 92 Points
International Wine Cellar

Bright medium ruby. Sexy, slightly sauvage nose melds black raspberry, minerals, leather, game and maple syrup. Sweet berry, chocolate and spice flavors are quite primary but already suave and complex. Creamy in the middle and very sophisticated, with solid underlying structure currently hidden by the wine's flesh. Perfectly integrated acidity. Finishes very long, with big but thoroughly ripe tannins and firm framing acidity.

COL SOLARE VINEYARDS Grown in the Columbia Valley in South-central Washington State.

COL SOLARE BLENDS 84% cabernet sauvignon 13% merlot 3% syrah

VINTAGE The Columbia Valley’s 1997 growing season started slowly with a cool spring, which delayed bud-break and flowering by two weeks. The fruit caught up in July and August, after a long period of warm, dry weather. Moderating temperatures in September slowed ripening and afforded the fruit more time on the vine. The harvest began in late September and grapes were delivered to the winery rich with varietal flavor.

VINIFICATION Crop thinning in early summer following veraison reduced yields to less than two tons per acre. Following harvest, the lots were individually fermented in stainless steel tanks on their skins at 85° F for up to 17 days. The lots were individually aged for 19 months in 70% new and 30% one-year- old oak barrels, primarily from the Alliers and Nevers forests of France, and were gently racked with gravity every three months. The finest lots of the vintage were selected for the final blend. The wine was bottled, unfined in July 1999, and cellar aged for 13 months prior to release. 14% alcohol, total acidity .57 g/100ml, pH 3.61.

WINEMAKER’S NOTES “Plump black stone fruits combine with intense aromas of black currant and blackberry. These dark fruits are prevalent mouth flavors along with rich coffee, mocha, vanilla and tobacco. An elegantly structured wine with great depth and a generous finish.”

Bright ruby red. Vibrant aromas of cassis, dried cherry, mocha, tar, and spicy oak; complicated by fresh herbal and floral nuances. Smooth and dense in the mouth, with harmonious acids framing and lifting the fruit. Quite sophisticated and light on its feet but strong in extract. Finishes with very suave, spreading tannins and excellent length and grip.

VINTNERS Col Solare is a winemaking partnership that began in the vineyards of the Columbia Valley with Piero Antinori’s enduring attraction to unique viticultural regions. The idea for the wine took root when Antinori met Allen Shoup of Chateau Ste. Michelle and the similarities between the two vintners proved to be as strong as their differences. Known for their eagerness in charting unexplored territory and for challenging conventional thinking, both Antinori and Shoup are acknowledged today for having pioneered wine Renaissances that have led to worldwide esteem for the wines of Tuscany and Washington State, respectively. With the strength of the Columbia Valley as the foundation, along with each vintner’s demonstrated willingness to step outside his proven perspective to try to create something unique, Col Solare was born.

Wine Spectator review of 96 vintage:
Rating 92 points
This red blend from Washington displays remarkable density of flavor on a sleek frame. A smooth and generous wine, its black raspberry, cherry, currant and coffee flavors wrap themselves seductively in a blanket of fine-grained tannins. Lasts and lasts on the finish. From the partnership between Chateau Ste. Michelle and Italy's Marchesi Antinori. Contains 85 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 15 percent Merlot.Best after 2001. (2869 cases produced)

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