Tenuta dell'Ornellaia - Bolgheri DOC Superiore Rosso 2021 (750ml)

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Producer	Tenuta dell'Ornellaia
Country	Italy
Region	Tuscany
Subregion	Bolgheri Superiore
Varietal	Cabernet Sauvignon,  Merlot,  Cabernet Franc,  Petit Verdot
Vintage	2021
Sku	38937
Size	750ml

 

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96

JR

18

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99

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99

Ornellaia is a blend of nature and musing. Complex ancient soils converse through human wisdom with a delicate micro-climate that is echoed and reflected in the Mediterranean Sea. Prolonged aging accompanies the estate’s fine wine in achieving its utmost expression, revealing finesse and generosity over time.

Ornellaia 2021 displays the characteristics of a typical vintage in Bolgheri, with not a few sunny spells and devoid of rain, crafting a rich and concentrated wine that is also deeply expressive and generous. Signature notes of Mediterranean shrub, herbs, cypress berries, classic blackberry and dark fruit aromas unfurl on the nose, accompanying a palate endowed with dense tannins but certainly not lacking in precision and finesse. The finish is vibrant and enduring, bringing a feeling of aromatic freshness and elegance.

2021 started with a mild yet rainy winter that enabled the water resources in the soil to be replenished. After a dry March, bud-break occurred in the first fortnight of April. The gradual rise in temperatures and normal rainfall allowed the shoots to develop evenly before flowering in superb conditions towards the end of May. Summer fully arrived in June with temperatures slightly above average and an almost total absence of rain, resulting in veraison in the last week of July. The dry spell continued throughout August and September, but the spring rain and our estate’s deep soils allowed the vines to avoid overly intense water stress, creating the conditions for small, highly concentrated grapes with exceptional potential in terms of quality. September was hot and sunny, devoid of rainfall, which provided for an “à la carte” harvest to convey the maximum quality potential of each vineyard. The red grapes were harvested mostly in September, with Merlot within the first fortnight, and other varieties of the estate from 13 September onward, ending on 1 October.

The clusters were hand-picked into 15 kg crates and then selected by hand on a double sorting table, before and after de-stemming, and then softly crushed. In 2016, optical sorting has been introduced in addition to manual selection, to further increase the quality of selection. Each grape variety and single vineyard block were vinified separately. Fermentation took place in stainless steel and concrete tanks at temperatures between 26 and 30°C for one week, followed by maceration for about 15 days, for a total time in the vat of about three weeks. The malolactic fermentation took place mainly in oak barrels, 70% new and 30% used once. The wine then remained in barriques, in Ornellaia’s cellars for about 18 months. After the first 12 months of maturation, the wine was assembled and then returned to the barriques for an additional 6 months. After bottling, the wine was aged for a further 12 months prior to release.

The 2021 Ornellaia captures all the magic of this sensational vintage on the Tuscan Coast. Rich, ample and expansive, with tremendous polish, the 2021 is pure class. Dark-toned fruit, mocha, espresso, licorice, plum and dried herbs abound. The tannins are present but also beautifully integrated, as is the French oak. There was a time not too long ago when young wines here needed years in bottle to drink well. That's not at all the case with the 2021. The blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 7% Petit Verdot works so well. New oak was 70%.

Aromas of blackcurrants, iodine, crushed stone, hints of mint and sage. Blue fruits. Full-bodied with chewy tannins that open with air. It’s racy and very long. Very tannin driven and energetic with power and focus. Muscular and very toned. This is the best Ornellaia for the cellar in years. Try after 2030.

The Ornellaia 2021 Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia offers an extra layer of richness, generosity and plushness that shapes a very open-knit and exuberant Tuscan red. The blend is 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 7% Petit Verdot. You feel the fruit and oak weight of the wine, the extract and the 15% alcohol content. All of these elements come together to big effect. From that power, you get black cherry, dark fruit, sweet spice and barbecue smoke. The fruit tannins are young, and this edition of Ornellaia proves worthy for medium or long-term drinking, especially as it softens up with more bottle age.

More intense, nuanced crimson than most. Rich, hedonistic nose. Full and perfumed with many an element, including a certain mintiness, making up the whole. Notably long and rewarding. Good stuff. Already appealing but with an appetising fragrance on the end.