Tenuta Dell’Ornellaia ORNELLAIA Bolgheri Superiore 2023 750ml

Ornellaia is a blend of nature and musing. Complex ancient soils converse through human wisdom with a delicate microclimate that is echoed and reflected in the Mediterranean Sea. Prolonged ageing accompanies the estate’s fine wine in achieving its utmost expression, revealing finesse and generosity over time.

Ornellaia 2022 shows an expressive bouquet of black fruit, with a touch of vanilla and tobacco. Such aromatic complexity shows on the palate where the wine proves expansive and generous. A powerful tannic structure carries it towards a savoury and enduring finish. Although the 2022 vintage was marked by long hot spells, Ornellaia is once again marked by elegance and vibrancy.

Artist Pascale Marthine Tayou was invited to interpret the character of the 2022 vintage for the Vendemmia d’Artista project. One “La Determinazione” artistic label can be found in every case containing six 750ml bottles of Ornellaia 2022.

"Tasted a few months after it was bottled, the Ornellaia 2022 Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia will be coming to market in March 2025. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot. The wine sees 18 months of aging with up to 70% new oak, but the trick, proprietor Lamberto Frescobaldi tells me, is drawing from a large group of coopers with different toast levels and forests. "I don't want to make a wine of any one tonnellerie," he says. The oak element is crucial to the identity of this wine that reveals dark fruit, blackberry, sweet spice and cinnamon. Most of the vines were planted in the 1980s, and the average age of the plants is over 20 years old. Fruit comes from many parcels, including Bellaria, Bellaria Nuova, Bellaria Alta, Pero, Fosso, Vigna Vecchia and Stallina. Indeed, some 80 wines are made before final blending. The 2022 vintage will be remembered for its full-bodied appeal, concentrated fruit and generous oak renderings. Petit Verdot plays a slightly larger role in this vintage and was one of the surprise hits of 2022. It serves to elongate the wine and adds to its length. The wine's abundant fruit weight cedes to elegantly integrated tannins. This vintage will appeal to die-hard Ornellaia enthusiasts."
The Wine Advocate - 97 Points

"A Mediterranean-style wine. Stunning elegance on the nose, with vibrant dried eucalyptus leaves, flowers, restrained brambleberries and hints of black cherries, dried bananas, milk chocolate, cloves and graphite. The palate is full-bodied with elegant tannins and a touch of dust. It’s savory and well packed, with integrated, brilliant freshness and a ripe, fruity finish with a toasty aftertaste of blond tobacco. Try from 2026."
James Suckling -97 Points

"The 2022 Ornellaia is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 10% each Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. A deep but bright purple/red color, it has a fantastic nose of blackberries, polished cedar, lavender, sweet herbs, and dark cocoa. Full-bodied, it has a rich structure, with warming concentration but a very balanced feel. The tannins are ripe and frame the underlying mineral notes very nicely, its fruity richness fleshing it out harmoniously."
Jeb Dunnuck - 96 Points

"The 2022 Ornellaia is a terrific wine for the year. Dark red-toned fruit, mocha, new leather, licorice and spice all take shape in a mid-weight, pliant Ornellaia that is quite alluring, even in the early going. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot, unusual for the elevated presence of Petit Verdot, which did better than Franc in 2022. The higher percentage of Petit Verdot comes through in the wine’s dark-leaning personality and also in the quality of tannins. More than anything else, the 2022 is a reminder of how important a tool blending is, especially in challenging years. I can’t wait to see how this ages. The 2022 Ornellaia is clearly among the most successful wines of the vintage."
Vinous Media - 96 Points

"Ornellaia 2022 is bold, dark fruited and spicy at this early stage, reflecting the increased percentage of Petit Verdot used in the blend. Production director Marco Balsimelli settled on 10% Petit Verdot to lend more structure to the otherwise quite soft tannic profile. Not lacking in brooding complexity, it swirls with peppery and herbal nuances and some lovely fresh acidity which carries through to a bright finish. As is characteristic of the 2022s in Bolgheri, this is overall a more compact and dense style compared to the previous year. 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot."
Decanter Magazine - 95 Points