Ornellaia
About Ornellaia
Founded in 1981, the estate which overlooks the Tyrrhenian Sea is comprised of 99 hectares of the finest vines in Tuscany. Located by the sea but sheltered by neighbouring hills, the vineyards are planted at altitudes ranging from 50 to 120 meters above sea level, on slopes ranging from 5 to 20°. Possessing a very particular microclimate, this terroir is excellent for both perfect ripening as well as stunning views.
Viniculture
Remarkably, for an estate of this size, grapes are still hand-harvested before undergoing extremely rigorous sorting to ensure only the finest fruit is vinified. The result of these tremendous efforts in both the vineyard and winery is a flagship cuvée to rival the greatest wines on Earth. Most closely associated as a rival to the mighty Sassicaia, Ornellaia is in fact a different beast entirely. With a significant proportion of Merlot in its blend, alongside no shyness towards new oak, this is an altogether more opulent and sensual Super Tuscan.
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
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Tuscany | 1 | 98 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£372.00 |
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Vinous (98)The 2015 Ornellaia is a dream wine with magnificent balance. All the elements are in the right place. In most vintages, Ornellaia needs time to fully come together, but the 2015 is just impeccable, even in the early going. The warm vintage notwithstanding, winemaker Axel Heinz crafted and Ornellaia is more about finesse and power. The potent, bruising tannins Ornellaia can show as a young wine are nowhere to be found. Bright raspberry jam, mint, white flowers and pomegranate are some of the many notes that punctuate the finish in a memorable Ornellaia that will go down among the great vintages produced at this reference-point estate. |
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Tuscany | 4 | 98+ (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£465.60 |
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Jeb Dunnuck (98+)From a great vintage for Bolgheri, the 2016 Ornellaia is a classic blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot that was aged 20 months in 70% new French oak. Its saturated purple color is followed by a deep, beautifully concentrated yet primordial effort that offers serious intensity in its cassis, black cherry, graphite, bay leaf, forest floor, and spring flower aromas and flavors. Full-bodied and multi-dimensional on the palate, it has thrilling purity of fruit, ample tannins, and a great, great finish. This is a tour de force in red wine that needs 4-5 years of bottle age and will keep for two decades. |
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Tuscany | 2 | 99 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£750.00 |
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James Suckling (99)This is a fantastic white. The greatest Ornellaia white so far. Very complex and dense yet, at the same time, energetic and vivid. This shows so much richness and density with a pretty, phenolic texture that keeps you entranced. Full-bodied with lots of honeysuckle, green-melon and cooked-apple character. Very long and flavorful. Dynamic and great wine. Drinkable now, but better in 2021. |
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Tuscany | 5 | 18.5 (MJ) |
Inc. VAT
£179.60 |
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Matthew Jukes (18.5)One always has to wait a while for this wine to find its way onto the market after the initial flurry of wine broker activity, but I hope it will do so soon because this is one of the most sophisticated PaGs I have ever tasted. In fact, it is drinking rather nicely already with none the theatricality of bygone vintages nor any of the ponderous, demanding characteristics of some of the heavier, food-craving wines of the past. This is a civilised, hauntingly graceful and amazingly complex wine, which allows each of its component grape varieties the time and space to greet the drinker. This welcome restraint brings a new level of allure to Poggio alle Gazze, making it a must-buy for fans of Italian white wines. I cannot think of another vintage of this wine that will please many diverse palates with its finely balanced flavours. |
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Tuscany | 1 | 98 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£372.00 |
|||||
Vinous (98)The 2015 Ornellaia is a dream wine with magnificent balance. All the elements are in the right place. In most vintages, Ornellaia needs time to fully come together, but the 2015 is just impeccable, even in the early going. The warm vintage notwithstanding, winemaker Axel Heinz crafted and Ornellaia is more about finesse and power. The potent, bruising tannins Ornellaia can show as a young wine are nowhere to be found. Bright raspberry jam, mint, white flowers and pomegranate are some of the many notes that punctuate the finish in a memorable Ornellaia that will go down among the great vintages produced at this reference-point estate. |
|||||||||
|
Tuscany | 4 | 98+ (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£465.60 |
|||||
Jeb Dunnuck (98+)From a great vintage for Bolgheri, the 2016 Ornellaia is a classic blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot that was aged 20 months in 70% new French oak. Its saturated purple color is followed by a deep, beautifully concentrated yet primordial effort that offers serious intensity in its cassis, black cherry, graphite, bay leaf, forest floor, and spring flower aromas and flavors. Full-bodied and multi-dimensional on the palate, it has thrilling purity of fruit, ample tannins, and a great, great finish. This is a tour de force in red wine that needs 4-5 years of bottle age and will keep for two decades. |
|||||||||
|
Tuscany | 2 | 99 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£750.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (99)This is a fantastic white. The greatest Ornellaia white so far. Very complex and dense yet, at the same time, energetic and vivid. This shows so much richness and density with a pretty, phenolic texture that keeps you entranced. Full-bodied with lots of honeysuckle, green-melon and cooked-apple character. Very long and flavorful. Dynamic and great wine. Drinkable now, but better in 2021. |
|||||||||
|
Tuscany | 5 | 18.5 (MJ) |
In Bond
£147.00 |
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Matthew Jukes (18.5)One always has to wait a while for this wine to find its way onto the market after the initial flurry of wine broker activity, but I hope it will do so soon because this is one of the most sophisticated PaGs I have ever tasted. In fact, it is drinking rather nicely already with none the theatricality of bygone vintages nor any of the ponderous, demanding characteristics of some of the heavier, food-craving wines of the past. This is a civilised, hauntingly graceful and amazingly complex wine, which allows each of its component grape varieties the time and space to greet the drinker. This welcome restraint brings a new level of allure to Poggio alle Gazze, making it a must-buy for fans of Italian white wines. I cannot think of another vintage of this wine that will please many diverse palates with its finely balanced flavours. |