Winemaker Notes
Blend: 44% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Petit Verdot, and 12% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Showing beautifully, the incredibly impressive 2016 Le Serre Nuove dell'Ornellaia (44% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Petit Verdot, and 12% Cabernet Franc) is a true second wine from this estate, following the similar practice in Bordeaux of offering a second wine basically made from the grapes that didn't rate the top cuvee. Don't let that deter you, though, as this is a terrific wine. Its deep ruby color is followed by a ripe, complex bouquet of black cherries, blackberries, tobacco, and earthy, herbal characteristics. Gorgeous on the palate, with medium to full body, a wonderful freshness and purity, and silky tannins, it's already drinking nicely but will keep for 10-15 years.
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James Suckling
Appreciate the aromas of crushed stones and currants that follow through to a full body, velvety tannins and a juicy finish. Lots of dark-berry and walnut character in the aftertaste. Beautiful second wine of Ornellaia. Already very attractive, but better after 2022.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This is a fantastic interpretation from Bolgheri. The 2016 Bolgheri Rosso Le Serre Nuove dell'Ornellaia is made with fruit from the same vineyard plots that go into the Bolgheri Superiore, only this is a second selection if you will. Generally speaking, fruit from the younger vines goes here. This wine gives us a very pretty glimpse of what we can expect of the high-end releases from this classic vintage. The fruit is rock solid, delineated, tonic and firm. The pleasure factor awarded here is very high thanks to the wine's inner softness, silky tannins and soothing extract. The bouquet is seamless and pristine.
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Decanter
Dense, deep red with aromas of cassia, spice and pepper and a taste of plums. Long, very expressive finish.
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Wine Spectator
Supple and polished, exhibiting plum, black cherry, wild thyme and spice aromas and flavors. Solidly built, yet harmonious and approachable now, with hints of iron and cedar on the lingering finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2033.
In 1981, Marchese Lodovico Antinori breathed new life into Tenuta dell' Ornellaia, an estate whose potential had been ignored for decades. With the help of Andre Tchelistcheff, the famous agronomist, Antinori planted the first French vines in Bolgheri, which lies in the heart of Tuscany's coastal region, Maremma. The estate yields some of the finest Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc in Tuscany. In 2002, Marchesi de' Frescobaldi and Robert Mondavi became owners of Tenuta dell'Ornellaia, which is now owned exclusively by Marchesi de' Frescobaldi.
Ornellaia has established itself among the iconic wine estates in Italy (and beyond). The estate is dedicated to producing charming and opulent wines, full of Mediterranean character and finesse, reflecting the estate’s unique terroir in Bolgheri on the Tuscan coast. The combination of Bolgheri’s unique soils and growing conditions, and what can only be characterized as a total obsession with excellence, result in the world-class wines from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc that so many wine lovers across the world have come to cherish.
Ornellaia employs a full time team of 80 people whose passion and motivation make Ornellaia what it is today. No shortcuts in the part of the production are allowed and the details literally come down to a grape by grape basis. Wines are intently crafted to capture the character of each vintage, in all its complexity and facets. In fact, the character and intricacies of each individual vintage are so important to the estate that since vintage 2006, Winemaker and Estate Director Axel Heinz has identified a single word that captures the character of each vintage, and that word is interpreted by a contemporary artist who produces special labels and a site-specific work of art that remains part of the estate’s permanent collection.
In addition to its place among Italy’s iconic wines, Ornellaia is also an ambassador for the Bolgheri region, leading it to be recognized as one of Italy’s greatest winegrowing regions. It is their belief, and it is hard to argue, that Bogheri’s mild maritime climate and diversity of soils create wines as distinct, complex and pleasurable as any in the world.
Legendary in Italy for its Renaissance art and striking landscape, Tuscany is also home to many of the country’s best red wines. Sangiovese reigns supreme here, as either the single varietal, or a dominant player, in almost all of Tuscany’s best.
A remarkable Chianti, named for its region of origin, will have a bright acidity, supple tannins and plenty of cherry fruit character. From the hills and valleys surrounding the medieval village of Montalcino, come the distinguished and age-worthy wines based on Brunello (Sangiovese). Earning global acclaim since the 1970s, the Tuscan Blends are composed solely of international grape varieties or a mix of international and Sangiovese. The wine called Vine Nobile di Montepulciano, composed of Prognolo Gentile (Sangiovese) and is recognized both for finesse and power.