| Region of production: | Bolgheri |
| Winery Location: | Castagneto Carducci, Livorno |
| Year Established: | 1981 |
Vineyard Holdings
97 ha
Top Wines Produced & Inaugural Vintages
- Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore DOC: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. Aged in 70% new French oak for 18 months with an additional year in bottle. Inaugural vintage 1985.
- Ornellaia Bianco Toscana IGP: Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier. Aged in 30% new French oak for one year with an additional six months in bottle. Malolactic fermentation is blocked. Inaugural vintage 2013.
- Le Serre Nuove Bolgheri DOC: Produced from younger vines that will eventually be used for Ornellaia. Aged in 25% new French oak for 15 months with an additional 6 months in bottle.
- Le Volte dell’Ornellaia Toscana IGP: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sangiovese. Aged in cement tanks and French oak previously used for Ornellaia.
- Masseto Toscana IGP: 100% Merlot. First released in 1986 as Merlot under the Ornellaia label; “Masseto” appeared on the label the following year. The earliest labels listed both Antinori and Tenuta dell’Ornellaia. The Antinori name was removed when ownership changed, and the wine remained under the umbrella of Tenuta dell’Ornellaia through 2006. In 2007, the Masseto estate was registered as an independent winery. However, this company is also owned by Frescobaldi, with the same winemaking team as Ornellaia.
Average Total Production
- N/A
Summary
The Ornellaia Estate was founded in 1981 by Marchese Lodovico Antinori. Planting began the following year, and the first vintage was produced in 1985. Most of the vineyards are situated on the hills around Bolgheri, an advantageous position thanks to direct sun, maritime breezes, and diverse soil types. In 1999, Robert Mondavi acquired a minority share in the estate before assuming full control three years later. When Constellation Brands acquired Mondavi in 2005, Ornellaia, along with the iconic Massteo brand, was acquired by the Frescobaldi firm. Axel Heinz has overseen winemaking ever since. Ornellaia began the Vendemmia d’Artista program with the 2006 vintage, commissioning artists to illustrate labels each year.
Style & Vinification Techniques
Grapes are manually harvested and sorted both before and after destemming. Parcels go through primary and malolactic fermentation in stainless steel before aging in barrel. Base wines are aged for one year before the blends are assembled and further aged in barrel. Each wine sees a minimum of six months of bottle age prior to release.
Producer Website: Ornellaia