Winemaker Notes
Characterized by a lively ruby red color, Le Serre Nuove dell'Ornellaia 2018 is a wine of great aromatic complexity, a distinctive feature of this vintage. In the glass, aromas of berries, blackberry, raspberry and red cherry are accompanied by floral hints of wild rose and spicy notes of pink pepper and licorice. On tasting, the wine has a good tannic structure, enveloping and balanced, with a crisp and savory finish.
Blend: 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, 17% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
The aromas of currants, tobacco, chocolate and mushrooms are very attractive here. It’s full-bodied with juicy tannins and a flavorful, round-textured finish. Gorgeous wine and very approachable now, but better in 2023.
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Decanter
Crackling with personality, this has a lovely mix of dark chocolate shavings, liquorice, sweet cedar, raspberry, sage and Tuscan underbrush. Really one to savour, holds its grip through the palate and is juicy, nuanced and mouthwatering. A brilliant second wine, made mainly from the younger vines of Ornellaia. 17% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Aged in oak (25% new) for 15 months, with six months further ageing in bottle before release.
Drinking Window 2023 - 2034
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Bolgheri Rosso Le Serre Nuove dell'Ornellaia is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that is aged in oak for 15 months. The wine shows depth, concentration and generous fruit weight that adds to the intensity and the textural importance of this abundant, full-bodied expression. Late-season rains threw some challenges at the winemakers of Bolgheri, but this open-knit wine has emerged unscathed. This vintage was released in September of last year, but I have also written a review in this report of the younger 2019 vintage (which will be released in September of this year).
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Jeb Dunnuck
As usual, the 2018 Le Serre Nuove Dell'Ornellaia is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, and it functions as the second wine of Ornellaia. Aged15 months in French oak, it has a Bordeaux-like bouquet of ripe black cherries, cedary spice, chalky minerality, and sappy, herbal nuances. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a pure, balanced, elegant mouthfeel, supple and nicely integrated tannins, and a great finish. The tannins are beautifully managed, and this elegant blend will evolve for 10-15 years in cold cellars.
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Wine Spectator
Rich and packed with black cherry, blackberry and plum flavors shaded by wild Mediterranean herbs and baking spices. It's polished, yet dense, the tannins lining the lingering finish like cocoa powder. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
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.