Italy

Ornellaia

Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore 25th Anniversary

Tuscany

Bolgheri

Still young at 12 years old, this was a hot, dry vintage with a growth cycle around 10 days in advance of normal, and yet is filled with elegance and juice. Still very young, with the vibrant plum colour alone making you confident for its ageing potential. In the cellar, this was a time when the Ornellaia team was in full extraction phase, but alongside smoked cumin, Mediterranean herbs, truffles, liqourice, cocoa bean and firm tannins, there is still a purity to the fruit (one of the felllow tasters said, 'if you were making mistakes at this point, they were the right ones'). The balance was helped by a cooler June and July, and all harvest finished by the end of September. 70% new oak barrels for ageing. Blending after 12 months in barrel, then a further six months, before being kept in bottle at the estate for 12 months before release. Axel Heinz winemaker.

Inside Bordeaux

One of the few 2022 Tuscan wines where you can really see that this will benefit from a few years in bottle, right now it is, hovering on the edge of something delicious, vibrating over the tannic architecture, feathered, campfire smoke, fennel, blackberry, liquorice and crushed peonies, and the bitter fennel and slate scrape, dense, contrast of textures and flavours like only truly great wines can do, a reflection of skilful construction. A gorgeous wine, slowly stretching out in the palate, 65% new oak for ageing. Harvest began August 9 for the whites, and the reds began August 25 with Masseto, and then a few days later for Ornellaia, one of the earliest on record, with around 38hl/h yield.

Ornellaia stands as proof, if it were needed, that Bordeaux varieties can really deliver magic in the Tuscan landscape. Blackberry, underbrush, dried roses, bay leaf, liqourice, fennel, raspberries, layers of baking spice, balsamic, turmeric and saffran. Will benefit from a few years more in bottle, and will go for decades. Director Axel Heinz in one of his last vintages, winemaker Olga Fusari. 119ha estate. 70% new oak, with the blend taking place after 12 months ageing, then left for a further six months in barrel, and 12 months in bottle before release.

Rich plum in colour, this has heady fruit-filled aromatics, where you are taken straight to the heart of the action. Plenty of classic balsamic notes of Ornellaia, along with oange zest, fennel, damson, black cherry, damson. Juice runs through the muscular frame, with tannins that are plentiful but supple, and freshly cut herbs studded throughout draw out the flavours. A long harvest from end of August to beginning October. 70% new oak, with the blend taking place after 12 months ageing, then left for a further six months in barrel, and 12 months in bottle before release. Axel Heinz's final full vintage at the property, and it's a stormer. The pandemic vintage also, with a dramatic start in Italy, but as with all wine estates, the upside was the focus on the vineyards, with the whole team in place throughout the growing season.

Charred caramel and liquorice aromatics, with sappy acidity accompanying generous olive tapenade, blackberry and raspberry fruits on the opening beats. Deceptively silky tannins, they are tactile and supple at first then close in through the mid palate, revealing a more serious Ornellaia with layers of graphite, savoury cassis, sage, bay leaf, underbrush and white truffle spices. A touch of sweet salted caramel returns after half an hour in the glass, this is well structured and will be giving its best after five or six years in bottle, and for several decades. A hot dry summer followed by cooler weather during harvest has given finesse and complexity, and a wine to savour. All varieties are aged separately for 12 months then blended and then put back in barrel for 6 months, followed by 12 months in bottle. 70% new oak. Director Axel Heinz, oenologist Olga Fusari.

Pure rich and seductive fruits in that generous way that Ornellaia has, with the most gorgeous smoky character. It is full of life and nuance and so moreish. Teases with its ability to give and take, structured yet soft, powerful but finessed, full of leather, vanilla bean, raspberry, red cherry, tar. All varieties are aged separately for 12 months then blended and then put back in barrel for 6 months, 70% new oak. First released through the Place in March 2021.

The balsamic edge is clear, as are the waves of rosemary, toasted herbs, cumin, underbrush, dried herbs, amaretto biscuits, red cherry, tobacco. There were challenges in this vintage, with a cool beginning to the season followed by a hot summer, and they waited and extended picking to ensure complexity, with a long harvest stretching from September 9 to October 14. Feels beautifully Tuscan, with its blend of herbs and spices, and is full of charm, a little more evolved than some in the lineup. 70% new oak for ageing. Axel Heinz winemaker.

A muscular Ornellaia at 15 years old, filled with toasted and grilled cedar and sandalwood notes. Powerful and vibrant, with black cherry and blackcurrant fruits, edged with liqourice, balsamic, spice and fennel, delivering plenty of umami texture and character. Even now I would suggest that it can benefit from a little longer in bottle, or ensure a good long carafe. This was the year that Olga Fusari joined the team fully as winemaker, working alongside Axel Heinz. Harvest September 2 to October 7, after a growing season with a cool and rainy spring, then intense heat over the summer. 70% new oak.

2003 was a hot vintage all over Europe, and here at Ornellaia only 14mm of rain fell from May through to the beginning of September - with harvest delayed despite the heat until September 10 to ensure phenolic maturity. At 20 years old it shows a surprisingly fresh mint leaf and eucalyptus character. This is a delicious and enticing wine, sappy and full of spice, wtih the rosemary, cumin and turmeric notes of a hot year. Vibrant fruit also, with tannins that are drawn out and elongated. As it opens, the tertiary notes become clearer, with blue cheese, mushroom, soy and salty cracker - doesn't hold up in the glass as well as some of the other vintages, this is a great moment to drink. Highest amount of Cabernet Franc in the blend to date, helps no doubt to give the fresh edge to the ripe fruits. Careful grape sorting was key both before and after destemming, to ensure no shrivelled grapes got through, and the result was 30% lower yield than normal. 70% new oak, Thomas Duroux winemaker.

Fully in the sweet spot right now, where it shows character and finesse, with muscular damson and red cherry fruits, grilled pomegranate, liqourice and fennel notes as it opens, layering on charred sandalwood, cigar box and truffle. Holds up well in the glass, uncovering further nuances over a good hour or more, and this is just a spectacular wine, built for sharing, ready to go. Then 1998 vintage saw a sunny summer with almost no rainfall, harvest from first week of September until early October, lasting almost exactly one month. 50% new oak barrels for ageing, winemaker Andrea Giovannini.

Tertiary notes on full display, with edges of truffle, mushroom, tar, soot, rust. A little less vibrant than the others in the lineup, this is fully in its drinking window, although no huge rush to drink, as the black fruits are still giving pleasure, and rosemary spice adds depth. High Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend in these early vintages, with winemaker Andrea Giovannini. The 1993 vintage saw an abnormally hot Spring follwed by high summer temperatures, with harvest from September 5 to October 6. Malolactic fermentation and ageing in 33% new oak barrels for 16 months, then 14 months in bottle before release.

Goes long on Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend, and showcases the elegant, elongated tannic structure that this grape grows into with age. It feels younger than the 1993 we are also tasting in the line up, and is filled with umami flavours of soy and truffle, alongside autumnal blackberries, cold ash, smoked fennel, mint leaf and eucalyptus. Builds in power as it opens in the glass, this makes you beg for food, and provides a welcoming reminder that great Italian wines are just thrilled to make you happy. A vintage with hot sunny weather, harvest from September 14 through to the end of the month. Aged in 40% new oak for 11 months, then 16 months in bottle before release, winemaker Andrea Giovannini. Served from magnum.

2022	No priceNot available	Extraordinary
2021	No priceNot available	Extraordinary
2020	No priceNot available	Extraordinary
2019	No priceNot available	Extraordinary
2018	No priceNot available	Extraordinary

Category	Red wine
Vinmonopolet no.
Producer	Ornellaia
Vintages	2011
Country	Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri
Bottle	75 cl

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Sugar	g/l

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