2020 Ornellaia

There's quite a bit of news at Ornellaia and sister estate Masseto. Longtime Estate Manager Axel Heinz departed the wineries earlier this summer for his native Bordeaux, which opens a new chapter for both estates. “Two thousand-twenty was the last in a trio of vintages with more rain than usual and no drought, but quite a bit of heat during summer." Heinz explained. "Temperatures moderated in August, with the arrival of cool evenings. We picked quite a bit of Merlot early for the aromatics. Temperatures then rose markedly, leading to a week of rain, and then finally to good weather through to the end of harvest."

The 2020 wines strike me as quite aromatic in profile, with medium-bodied structures and a bit more restraint than is the norm. The 2021s, on the other hand, are more typical of Bolgheri. They possess notable textural resonance and volume, with fine-grained tannins and the exceptional balance of a great year.