Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2006 Ornellaia is a massive, towering masterpiece. There is awesome depth and richness to be found in the glass. Flowers, minerals, tar smoke and dark fruit are all woven in an intricate fabric of almost indescribable elegance and power. Tonight the 2006 Ornellaia is absolutely moving in its beauty and expressiveness. Vintage 2006 will go down as one of the all-time greats in Tuscany, and Bolgheri in particular, as all of that region’s benchmark wines are spectacular. The 2006 shows the intensity of the small berries that were harvested that year, with exceptional concentration, acidity and freshness, qualities that are precious and exceedingly rare when they are found in a single wine. In 2006 the final blend is 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Simply put, the 2006 Ornellaia is a must-have bottle. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2031.
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Wine Enthusiast
Consistently amont Italy's top-scoring wines, this vintage of the celebrated Ornellaia (a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot) is a gorgeous expression of the very best of European enology. It delivers extraordinary richeness, succulence and intensity, but remains elegant to the end. Aromas include black cherry, spice and dark chocolate.
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Wine Spectator
Dark in color, showing loads of dark fruits on the nose, as well as licorice and berries and hints of mint and cedar. Full-bodied, with refined yet chewy tannins and a ripe berry, coffee and chocolate aftertaste. New wood barrels shine through. But it will all come together with bottle age. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best after 2012.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
An outstanding wine region made famous by Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, who planted Cabernet Sauvignon vines for his own consumption in 1940s on his San Guido estate, and called the resulting wine, Sassicaia. Today the region’s Tuscan reds are based on Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, which can be made as single varietal wines or blends. The local Sangiovese can make up no more than 50% of the blends. Today Sassicaia has its own DOC designation within the Bogheri DOC appellation.