Ornellaia 2019: ‘a beautiful expression of coastal Tuscany’

Ornellaia is one of the most famous of the Super Tuscans, and the recently released 2019 is a brilliant vintage of this wine. The 2019 was a good year in Bolgheri, and Ornellaia did exceptionally well, receiving universal critical acclaim. The Wine Advocate‘s Monica Larner calls it ‘a beautiful expression of coastal Tuscany’. Antonio Galloni gives it 97+ points, the highest score he has ever given this wine, with the exception of the 2015 vintage.

Set up in 1981 by Lodovico Antinori, the Ornellaia estate has always included the four classic Bordeaux varieties. The 2019 vintage is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. Each vineyard parcel is picked and also vinified separately. Fermentation takes place in a mixture of stainless steel and concrete vessels, followed by malolactic in barrel to give extra roundness and integration to the wine. Maturation is in barrels for 18 months, with a further 12 months’ maturation in bottle before release

The result is a wine with pure fruit expression, fine-grained tannic structure and the complexity to age over many years. The style of Ornellaia has continued to evolve subtly in recent years, and this latest release shows greater restraint and elegance than some past vintages – which in our view works very well indeed.

This is an excellent vintage of an Italian wine that has achieved the status of a classic. It deserves a place in any fine wine collection. Don’t miss out.

View more information about this producer

read more