2015 Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore Tuscany 750 ml

An Italian “First Growth”

Like Latour, Lafite-Rothschild, and Margaux, Italian “First Growth,” Ornellaia needs little introduction. These incredibly rich, spellbinding Super Tuscans are legendary wines, setting the bar by which thousands of other wines worldwide are measured each year. Antonio Galloni of Vinous has named winemaker Axel Heinz “one of the world’s most in-demand winemakers” and called the 2015 vintage of Tenuta dell’Ornellaia “a dream wine.” In his 98-point review, Galloni writes: “Bright raspberry jam, mint, white flowers and pomegranate are some of the many notes that punctuate the finish in a memorable Ornellaia that will go down among the great vintages produced at this reference-point estate.” Tack on another 98-point review from James Suckling and what you have is a steal at $199.99. Believe it. Just 48 bottles for those quickest to the draw.  

Just south of the famed Cyprus-tree-lined avenue of Bolgheri, the Ornellaia estate drips with pedigree. The original Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc vines here were planted by the legendary Russian-born enologist André Tchelistcheff, who told then-owner Lodovico Antinori that the property was a viticultural “El Dorado.”

In breathtakingly beautiful Bolgheri, the vines enjoy a perfect hybrid of maritime and Mediterranean conditions. Cool offshore breezes from the Tyrrhenian Sea sweep across Ornellaia’s rocky foothills, counterbalancing the hot Tuscan sun and creating a priceless microclimate. Year-round, roughly 80 workers tend with remarkable precision to the vines spidering through high-elevation plots rich in well-draining marine soils.

Year in and year out, excellence is the standard for winemaker Axel Heinz, but on occasion, Mother Nature provides the ingredients to go beyond. 2015 was one such “textbook” vintage. A dry, sunny spring led to full flowering. Heat in June and July was relieved by dousing rains in August, arriving just in time to unlock the final phase of ripening. Ideal conditions lasted throughout harvest, letting Heinz and his team take their time, allowing each site—rich in alluvial, marine, and volcanic soils—to reach perfect maturation.

Heinz then applied his deft touch in the cellar to a stunning result—a magnificent blend comprised of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Petit Verdot. The dual 98-point 2015 Ornellaia, shows, as James Suckling wrote, “Elegance and polish,” “greatness in strength and refinement.” It will serve as a benchmark for years to come.