Tasting notes:
The flagship of the estate, Ornellaia is aged for about 18 months in oak barrels (70% new). The wines are blended after the first 12 months of maturation and back to the barriques for an additional 6 months. After bottling, the wine aged for a further 12 months prior to release. Complex aromas of ripe red fruit with delicate notes of vanilla and tobacco. Powerful, round and velvety on the palate with elegant tannins and a long and savoury finish. Ornellaia is a refined, opulent, vibrant and long-lived world-class wine.
Producer description:
Ornellaia is a leading name in the Italian wine industry. Founded by Lodovico Antinori, this iconic estate is known for its refined and opulent wines which reflect Bolgheri’s unique terroir. The team’s commitment to quality, innovation, and the expression of terroir is absolute. They believe their wines should reflect the distinct character of a vintage and the identity of the vineyard. Alongside top cuvee Ornellaia, they produce Le Serre Nuove, Le Volte and a white named Poggio alle Gazze.
Style:
Still Red
Vintage:
2022
Dryness:
Dry
Size:
75cl
Delivery:
2025 September
Available:
3
Critic Scores
Vinous | 96
The 2022 Ornellaia is a terrific wine of the year. Dark red-toned fruit, mocha, new leather, licorice and spice all take shape in a mid-weight, pliant Ornellaia that is quite alluring, even in the early going. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot, unusual for the elevated presence of Petit Verdot, which did better than Franc in 2022. The higher percentage of Petit Verdot comes through the wine’s dark-leaning personality and also in the quantity of tannins. More than anything else, the 2022 is a reminder of how important a tool blending is, especially in challenging years. I can’t wait to see how this ages. The 2022 Ornellaia is clearly among the most successful wines of the vintage
Robert Parker | 97
Tasted a few months after it was bottled, the Ornellaia 2022 Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia will be coming to market in March 2025. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot. The wine sees 18 months of aging with up to 70% new oak, but the trick, proprietor Lamberto Frescobaldi tells me, is drawing from a large group of coopers with different toast levels and forests. "I don't want to make a wine of any one tonnellerie," he says. The oak element is crucial to the identity of this wine that reveals dark fruit, blackberry, sweet spice and cinnamon. Most of the vines were planted in the 1980s, and the average age of the plants is over 20 years old. Fruit comes from many parcels, including Bellaria, Bellaria Nuova, Bellaria Alta, Pero, Fosso, Vigna Vecchia and Stallina. Indeed, some 80 wines are made before final blending. The 2022 vintage will be remembered for its full-bodied appeal, concentrated fruit and generous oak renderings. Petit Verdot plays a slightly larger role in this vintage and was one of the surprise hits of 2022. It serves to elongate the wine and adds to its length. The wine's abundant fruit weight cedes to elegantly integrated tannins. This vintage will appeal to die-hard Ornellaia enthusiasts
