2007 Tenuta Ornellaia 'Le Serre Nuove dell'Ornellaia', IGT Bolgheri
Regular Price $67.50, Vintage Release Special $48.50 With Free Shipping On Six Or More Bottles
I have maybe two bottles of Ornellaia left in my cellar and, though I often say that I have no sacred wines, and I'm willing to open anything I have at any time, I draw the line there. Replacing them is simply just beyond my means. However, that doesn't mean I won't open Serre Nuove. This true second label of Ornellaia is 90% of its big brother at 20% of the price!
Blended to mirror Ornellaia, Serre Nuove is made from 40% each of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon and finished with Cabernet Franc (Bolgheri's secret weapon) and Petit Verdot, it drinks like a warmer, Italian version of a fine Margaux with its sleek mouthfeel, cocoa powder, mint and mineral background and great finish.
2007 is the kind of vintage that really plays to the strengths of a wine like this. Where 2006 made stiffer, more structured wines that will require time (anyone care to guess when the 2006 Ornellaia Masseto will be ready?), 2007 created open, sunny, friendly wines: powerful but good-naturedly so. With Serre Nuove that means both immediate accessibility and mid-term cellar-ability.
Next time you decide to make your version of Bistecca on the grill, consider inviting (and decanting) Serre Nuove to the party and save that precious last bottle of Ornellaia for another occasion....like, in my case, never!
Robert Parker: The just-bottled 2007 Le Serre Nuove opens with sweet scents of mocha, berries, spices and flowers that lead to a soft, seamless expression of fruit. This is an accessible, silky-textured Serre Nuove to enjoy while the 2006 rests in the cellar. It is an unusually harmonious, refined wine that is sure to deliver much pleasure over the coming years. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2022. 92 points
Wine Spectator: Really dark in color, with tar and licorice aromas and hints of raisin. Full-bodied, with soft, velvety tannins and an attractive finish. Fruity and polished. The second wine of Ornellaia. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best after 2011. 92 points
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