The Majestic Ornellaia Winery, Tuscany (10 Best Wines, Prices)
Ornellaia is an Italian winery inspired by Bordeaux stars like Lafite and Latour.
It produces outstanding Bordeaux-style wines from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and other Bordeaux varieties grown under the Tuscan sun!
Let’s explore all about this superior Super Tuscan label, its best wines, their investment potential, and the winery’s vineyards, winemaking, and history.
Further reading
- Discover more about the prestigious Super Tuscan Wine Producers and Best Wines.
- Also, take a tour of these Exciting Italian Wine Regions.
The Ornellaia Winery and Its Wine Styles
Ornellaia (or Tenuta dellOrnellaia) is one of the most prestigious Super Tuscan winemakers located in Bolgheri, the Maremma region of Tuscany.
The Frescobaldi wine company currently owns the brand.
The estate is known for its Bordeaux-styled red wine blends:
- Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia: Ornellaia Bolgheri DOC Superiore is the winery’s flagship wine. It’s made with the French grapes Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot.
- Le Serre Nuove dellOrnellaia: The second Ornellaia DOC Bolgheri wine is a Merlot-dominant red blend with small percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot.
- Le Volte dellOrnellaia: The estate’s third wine is a blend of the Bordeaux varieties Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and the Italian grape variety Sangiovese.
- Masseto: This is a 100% Merlot wine made with grapes from the renowned Ornellaia e Masseto vineyard (known as Tenuta dellOrnellaia until 2012.)
Ornellaia also produces a few white wine styles:
- Ornellaia Bianco: This Ornellaia wine is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier.
- Poggio alle Gazze dell’Ornellaia: This white wine is a belnd of the native grape varietals Vermentino and Verdicchio.
- Ornus dell’Ornellaia: This is a sweet, late-harvest wine made with the French white grape Petit Manseng.
Fun fact: Ornellaia also produces olive oil and Grappa, an Italian grape pomace brandy.
The 10 Best Ornellaia Wines To Buy In 2022
Time to buy these world-class wines for your collection!
- 1990 Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore ($382)
- 1999 Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore ($325)
- 2012 Ornellaia Vendemmia dArtista Special Edition Bolgheri Superiore ($504)
- 2010 Ornellaia Vendemmia dArtista Special Edition Bolgheri Superiore ($911)
- 2016 Ornus dellOrnellaia Toscana IGT ($144)
- 2010 Ornus dellOrnellaia Toscana IGT ($129)
- 2013 Ornellaia Toscana Bianco IGT ($378)
- 2015 Ornellaia Toscana Bianco IGT ($378)
- 2016 Ornellaia 'Le Volte dell'Ornellaia' Toscana IGT ($30)
- 2019 Ornellaia 'Le Serre Nuove dell'Ornellaia' Bolgheri Rosso ($57)
1. 1990 Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore ($382)
The Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia promises an authentic Super Tuscan experience.
This dark, ruby DOC Bolgheri red wine was aged 20 months in oak barrels and another 12 in the bottle. This has allowed the wine to develop blackberry, black cherry, and fresh grass aromas.
2. 1999 Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore ($325)
The ‘99 Ornellaia Bolgheri DOC Superiore is an enticing melange of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot French grapes.
It was aged for over two years in oak barrels and the bottle, making way for a full-bodied and powerful wine with silky tannins.
3. 2012 Ornellaia Vendemmia d'Artista Special Edition Bolgheri Superiore ($504)
The inaugural year of Ornellaia’s art project featured a label by Italian artist Luigi Ontani. His work, ‘L'Esuberanza’ or exuberance, also describes the wine’s character and mood.
Its intense, fruity aromas give way to the more subtle cedar and spiced notes. It’s the perfect wine for a rich red meat dinner.
4. 2010 Ornellaia Vendemmia dArtista Special Edition Bolgheri Superiore ($911)
Michelangelo Pistoletto’s artwork for the ‘10 bottle entwines it in a shiny spiral design. The infinite loop signifies the endless celebration that is the Bolgheri Superiore.
The tobacco, dark spice, and sweet dark fruit aromas represent the pleasantly surprising complexity of this great wine. Its palate has a distinct dark fruit tasting note and silky tannins, ideal for a meal spread of meat and stew.
5. 2016 Ornus dell Ornellaia Toscana IGT ($144)
This sweet, late harvest Petit Manseng takes its name from ‘Fraxinus Ornus,’ a plant native to the Mediterranean region. Its Italian name ‘Orniello’ is also the inspiration for the estate’s name.
Since ancient times, the plant’s sap has served as a sweetener, and the wine adopts a similar character. It has a dominant tasting note of ripe, exotic fruits followed by peach jam undertones. Its well-rounded palate leads to hints of toasted wood.
6. 2010 Ornus dell Ornellaia Toscana IGT ($129)
The Ornellaia estate produces small batches of Ornus, allowing only serious collectors a chance to savor its smooth, honeyed notes.
The ‘08 Ornus was vinified without malolactic fermentation and aged for over two years. Its vibrant nose reflects fresh fruit, citrus, and mineral nuances.
7. 2013 Ornellaia Toscana Bianco IGT ($378)
The Ornellaia Bianco white wine is made almost entirely with Sauvignon Blanc.
The ‘13 is an intense yellow color with green hints. Its floral aroma is followed by a full-bodied palate and lively, juicy acidity. The vintage received a score of 94 (from Wine Advocate) and 90 (from Wine Spectator.)
8. 2015 Ornellaia Toscana Bianco IGT ($378)
This aromatic Ornellaia wine has bright color, classic aroma, and lively citrus fruit taste. Its crisp, fruity palate leads to an elegant finish with a touch of saltiness.
9. 2016 Ornellaia 'Le Volte dellOrnellaia' Toscana IGT ($30)
This aromatic Ornellaia red wine showcases lovely floral notes with hints of graphite and spice. The palate has fabulous red cherry and ripe plum flavor notes. This stunning wine received a score of 90 from both the Wine Spectator and the Wine Advocate.
10. 2019 Ornellaia 'Le Serre Nuove dellOrnellaia' Bolgheri Rosso ($57)
This bold and structured Ornellaia wine has vibrant acidity and grippy tannins. The enticing blackberry aromas are followed by red fruit flavor notes and a long-lasting finish.
Why Should You Invest In Ornellaia?
If you wish to invest in Ornellaia or other fine wine bottles, check out Vinovest. The online wine investment platform can help you buy, authenticate, store, and sell your wines for you.
Ornellaia may be a relatively recent entry to the investment-wine world, but it has quickly become a collector’s favorite. And one only needs to look at its track record to find out why.
The brand became a sensation with its very first vintage in 1985. It then shot to international fame in 1998, when Decanter magazine named it the ‘Wine of the Year.’ This set the foundation for its reputation as the go-to Super Tuscan wine for investors.
Ornellaia doesn’t rely on winemaking craftsmanship alone.
The Frescobaldi family continues in their Renaissance-age ancestors’ footsteps, promoting art in all its forms. Since 2009, their Vendemmia d’Artista project has collaborated with award-winning artists (like Tomás Saraceno) to create unique bottle labels and other art pieces inspired by their wine.
This makes an Ornellaia bottle a collectible work of art as well! In 2013, one such case of the 2010 vintage sold for $364,900!
However, you can be sure that even without elaborate artistry on its labels, Ornellaia’s wine can fetch you top dollar in the secondary market. And just like a good Bordeaux, it’ll continue to appreciate as it ages over the decades.
All in all, a bottle of Ornellaia is worth its weight in wine!
Ornellaia Vineyard and Viticulture
The Ornellaia vineyard covers 76 hectares of land. The unique terroir consists of a gentle sea breeze through most of the year and a mix of alluvial, volcanic, and clay soil deposits.
This holds enough water for the vines to withstand the region’s relatively high temperatures and dry weather conditions.
The vineyards are planted at medium to high density. On average, approximately 12,000 plants occupy every acre of the plantations. The idea here is that competing for water and nutrients improves vine quality, helping only the fittest survive.
In the long run, this enhances the overall yield of the vineyard.
Once planted, the vines are subject to meticulous testing to measure their flavor profile, tannin content, and maturity.
Winemaking at Ornellaia
Grapes are picked precisely after they’ve reached their full potential.
There are several rounds of preening even after the picking. This ensures that only the best bunches make it into the wine.
The grapes from each vineyard is vinified separately. This maintains their unique character right up to the fermentation stage. The winemakers do a daily tasting at this stage.
As the wines age in French oak barrels, the winemakers decide what combination of varietal wines will bring out a vintage’s unique expression.
A Glance at the History of Ornellaia
The estate was established in 1981 by Marchese Lodovico Antinori, a member of the illustrious Antinori family. (His brother, Piero Antinori, set up Solaia, and his cousin Nicolò Incisa runs Sassicaia - two of the original Super Tuscan wines.)
In 1999, US-based Robert Mondavi winerybought a minority stake in Ornellaia. By 2002, Robert Mondavi became the estate’s full owner and sold 50% of it to the Florentine noble family of Frescobaldi. In 2005, the brand was fully bought out by Frescobaldi’s.
Michel Rolland has been the chief winemaker and consultant oenologist since 1991. In 2002 winemaker Axel Heinz joined the Ornellaia team.
Ornellaia: A Gem of a Wine from Tuscany!
The charming shores of Tuscany offer a plethora of fine wine labels to choose from. But if you’re a serious wine enthusiast or investor, your best bet is a Super Tuscan like Ornellaia.
After all, this beautiful wine is the result of great winemaking craftsmanship and is a glowing example of a Super Tuscan wine. Moreover, Ornellaia’s proven track record at auctions makes it a wine worth storing in your cellar for years to come.
So pick a bottle of this Italian wine for your collection through Vinovestand start building an enviable wine portfolio today!
