Ornellaia: A Major Retrospective 1985-2006
Flight 1 – The Early Years
1985 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Ornellaia (magnum) 90
1988 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Ornellaia (magnum) 92
1990 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Ornellaia (magnum) 94
Flight 2 – The Challenging Vintages
1994 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Ornellaia (magnum) 89
1996 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Ornellaia (magnum) 88
2002 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Ornellaia (magnum) 92
2003 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Ornellaia (magnum) 93
2005 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Ornellaia (magnum) 93
Flight 3 – Wines to Drink Now
1993 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Ornellaia (magnum) 92
Tenuta dell’Ornellaia is the brainchild of Lodovico Antinori, who founded this gorgeous, sprawling estate in Tuscany’s Maremma in 1981. Vines were planted in 1982 and the first vintages were overseen by the legendary oenologist and winemaker Andre Tchelistcheff. Today Ornellaia is owned by the Frescobaldi family, but like all of the Frescobaldi properties, it is run independently. The estate produces a wide range of wines, from the entry-level Le Volte to the super-premium Merlot Masseto. To me, though, it is the Cabernet Sauvignon-based Ornellaia which truly captures the essence of these unique vineyards and microclimates.
