The Tuscan winery Tenuta dell'Ornellaia was founded in 1981 by Marchese Lodovico Antinori and has since been partly owned by Robert Mondavi. Today it belongs to the Frescobaldi family wine empire.
Ornellaia lies at the foot of the hills near Bolgheri, just a few kilometres from the Mediterranean. During the summer months, the fresh sea breeze gently caresses the vineyards. In winter, the hills provide protection from the cold north winds. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Sauvignon Blanc and Petit Manseng thrive in this coastal climate and on soils of marine, alluvial and volcanic origin.
Attention to detail and meticulous care prevail both in the vineyard and in the cellar, with the aim of achieving the perfect harvest time for full aromatic potential and a silky tannin structure. After the harvest, two further selection stages follow.
The grapes from each vineyard ferment separately, allowing each base wine (of which there are more than 60) to contribute its own unique character to the final blend. Only after maturing for 12 months in French oak barrels is the blend made into the finished wine, which is one of the great Bordeaux blends or Super Tuscans in demand worldwide.
photos: Tenuta dell'Ornellaia
