Needed decanting for more than an hour to allow it to open up and transform from a mediocre wine on the first sip poured out of the bottle to the real top wine that Ornellaia is supposed to be! Patience / prior planning will pay off brilliantly.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Kräftiges Rubinrot, keine Alterstöne. Expressive Nase, geprägt von reifen dunklen Früchten, Weihnachtsgewürzen, getrockneten Kräutern, Pflaumenkompott, blonder Tabak, Leder, mit etwas mehr Luft zeigen sich florale Töne, sehr komplex. Im Gaumen zugänglich, reichhaltig, rund, sehr intensive Frucht, viel Druck, dennoch Eleganz, der Wein strahlt eine Wärme aus, verfügt über viel Tannin und eine gut dosierte Säure. Aromatisch im Abgang mit sehr guter Länge, hinterlässt würzige und dunkelfruchtige Aromen. Ab sofort bis 2030 geniessen. 93 vvPunkte
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Emirates lounge. Tried from two different bottles. Both very ripe and a touch oxidative already. In the glass a dark garnet with an almost black core and a very thin translucent rim. Rich fruit and high alcohol. Hope this was simply a flawed / heat damaged shipment… NR
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Did a head to head competition between 2010 Pasteur and 2011 Ornellia Bolgheri. Two different wines but gave both a 94 . Pasteur clearly held its own. More complex. Decanted Pasteur for 2 hours and Ornellia 1 hour.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Salon Ficofi Paris walkabout tasting and dinner, no detailed tasting notes. Velvety mouth feel, well done, aromatically a bit harmless though. May be that can come with age.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Refined and elegant on the nose. Perfectly ripe black cherry, blackberry and blackcurrant. Fine spices, pencil shavings and leather. Full bodied with polished tannins and fresh acidity. Finishes long. Still structured and improved with air so worth decanting if drinking now. Pure class.
WSET Notes:
Medium ruby.
Pronounced on the nose with black cherry, blackberry, blackcurrant, cedar, dark chocolate, cinnamon stick, vanilla, pencil shavings, leather. Developing.
Pronounced and dry on the palate. Full body, high alcohol, high tannins, high acidity, long finish.
Can drink now but has potential for ageing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep garnet red. Ripe and complex nose. Still some fruit keft but first flashes of mushroom and truffle fresh brewed coffee. Velvety tannins and excellent length
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Perhaps a faulty bottle, I have never not liked this wine, but we gave it a try on night one, waited to night two, it did not improve. Tannins buried everything
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ornellaia Dinner (Stefani Prime - Lincolnwood IL): Double blind in what turned out to be an Ornellaia vertical, which I correctly identified as an Italian Bordeaux blend. Opulent aromatic start, well spiced, just some backward notes that followed through on palate with firm tannins. Lots here, perhaps 91 points tonight and 94 points a decade from now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
So complex on the nose, full of ripe red fruits, plum, espresso, dark chocolate, vanilla, fresh tobacco leaf and graphite. On the palate, rich and ripe texture, rounded, full-bodied, almost mouth-coating tannins with sweet oak and peppery finish. Great length, very persistent, very stubborn. Less of the multi-dimensional layer and depth but an awesome young drinking Ornellaia which will be enjoyable for a long time. Definitely a long decanting required to help this big boy to come around better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very enjoyable from first pour. Probably at peak at the one hour mark, and held nicely. Beautiful wine, but didn’t have the energy of the last bottle. I’m hoping it was an off day for my palette rather than a slipping from the pleasure plateau.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Perfect for the Fusili with Octopus and bone marrow at Morea. It open very quickly. We pump important, but it opened within the first 20 minutes. Surprising.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From magnum. Opened and slow ox'ed in the bottle for about 5 hours before dinner. Had with manicotti, zitoni, and homemade sunday gravy on Christmas eve.
The below notes really hit upon what makes this bottle special. It's right in its wheelhouse right now. Crimson/ruby color, Earthy, spices, a bit of leather and graphite. Well made, great take on a super tuscan. Had a glass left over for Christmas dinner and went well with beef tenderloin as well.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cloudy crimson color. Initial opening nose of clay, cedar and forest, over time hints of refined berry fruit. Palate really showed nice structure and complexity. Still quite tight. Chalky, loamy, minty palate. Hints of stewed berry. Very well made.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Revisited again a year later. No decant. Still amazing, but completely transformed. The nose brims of firewood, ash, forest floor graphite and leather. The palate is powerful, but much more refined, with only subtle tannins. Long finish. Rosemary, pepper, thyme, mint, moist earth, and a hint of sweet marzipan finihs come together in this unique combination. Drinking extremely well now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for 2 hours and drank over the next 2. This wine is deep ruby in color with aromas of dark cherries and currant. On the palate, this wine exhibits mostly red fruits and is very dry, smoky and earthy with tannins that are still very prominent and tight. The wine is full bodied with a med/long finish. Will try to show some restraint and wait for at least 5 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted three hours and drank over the next three. Drying tannin, mineral, graphite, dry red fruit. Grossly over-rated. (and here come the attacks via "THE NEW CELLARTRACKER"...)
Impressively concentrated wine, but the tannins are incredibly intense and drying even a decade after harvest. This wine is built to go the distance - if you have some in your cellar, I wouldn’t pop it for at least 5 more years and it will probably sing in 15 or more.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wonderfully balanced. Perfect drinking time. Drank like a good bordeaux. Grilled / charcoal notes balanced the other elements. Solid tannins but nicely integrated.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted at first pour, then decanted for an hour, and drank over additional 2 hours. The nose is downright amazing. Fresh green pepper, black spices, caramel and dark cocoa. The palate is robust, full bodied, long finish, with slicing tannins. Very fresh and vibrant to the palate. Red berries, cassis, pop corn, leather, licorice, and a spicy finish of black pepper. Absolutely gorgeous work of art. Will give more in 2-5 years. It so beautiful at a decade of age, I would not age it beyond 15 years.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for about 2h (but started drinking right away), then consumed over 4 days. Kicks off with great intensity, very Bordeaux-esque with ripe dark cherry, bramble berry, savoury notes but also earthy notes in the mix. The base felt vegetal with greenish herbal aromas. Appeared round and well balanced initially, but tannins turned out to be still a bit rough in the end. On day 3 the nose turned darker and more refined, adding fig comfit to the platter of flavours. The palate was better integrated with nice tension and a more round feeling to it. On day 4 developing an additional leathery depth as the palate softened further, turning slightly glazed even – although overall day 4 felt like over-stretching it already a bit. Was best on day 3 but finest on the palate on day 4. Definitely see more potential, but the palate couldn’t entire transport the complexity promised on the nose. Would decant 3-4h next time.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Better on day 2. 3 hour decant, tannins didn’t feel integrated and tasted a bit metallic. Started showing promise after 6 hours or so and much better on day 2. Not my favorite showing.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Magnum ouvert le 30 pour le 31. A l’ouverture, petite goutte pour déguster (cassis et alcool) puis rebouché et carafé 3 heures avant consommation. Couleur violet sombre, impénétrable. Au nez, les arômes de cassis sont toujours bien présents, avec une touche grillée, épices, boisé. En bouche, puissant, séveux, concentré avec des tanins légèrement granuleux, finale moyenne. Un vin qui exige de la nourriture et qui a bien accompagné le filet de bœuf Wellington. Très bon vin mais m’a moins convaincu que la bouteille précédente. Je ne suis pas persuadé du bienfait d’une longue aération, ni d’une trop longue garde d’ailleurs, et je préfère consommer ces Bolgheri plutôt jeunes, pour leur côté hédonistique.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep ruby color (15/15) Raspberry, cola and plum on the nose with a little barnyard funk and vanilla (20/20) Dry, medium body with high tannins and sharp acidity with a long, slightly bitter finish (26/30) Delightful Italian wine that is food friendly but a little disjointed in my view as the nose is quite good while the mid-palate is a little 'angry' with a slightly bitter finish. This needs more time or a well-seasoned steak to soften it's edges (32/35)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opaque purple garnet color turning crimson at the rim with a reflective edge. The nose is ethereal with chocolate, deep dark berry cola, and vanilla. The palate is full bodied, lifted with bright acidity, and a fleshy texture. Flavors of dark cherry, raspberry at the core with secondary notes of seared meat, toasted oak, and roasted hazelnut. Finishes long with hints of eucalyptus menthol. Drink now until 2036.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
94+ pts. Decanted for 6hours, but took a sip right after opening and it was already terrific. Gorgeous dark purple color, everything in perfect harmony, just flat out delicious wine. Young but completely approachable right now. Loved it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
18 mois depuis la dernière bouteille et peu de changement. Pas de passage en carafe cette fois, mais ouverture prolongée de 2,5 heures. Robe prune foncée tirant sur le violet, au nez cassis, fruits noirs et encre de Chine, moins d'arômes grillés cette fois-ci. En bouche, sexy et soyeux avec une belle minéralité et une acidité adéquate. Très bonne longueur. Pas le vin le plus complexe mais très agréable. 94+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
superbly fresh and clean. Incredible elegance. More relaxing and enjoyable than the 06 at the moment. Pungent spicy finish. 50% Cabernet Double decanted 7 hrs prior
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose: Dark fruits like cherries and fresher plums, deep forest floor, well integrated oak (like a clean, yet old spice box) and a slight balsamic note (not in a bad way at all).
Palate: Rich earth integrated with the dark fruit, dried oak, slight minerality, slight heat still and some spice.
Dark Ruby with a subtle bricking. Dry with medium amounts of fine, slightly grippy tannins. Light-plus to medium minus body with medium acidity. Good finish of about 11+ seconds. Fruits come first then followed with some slight oak and finishes with a lingering minerality and a good amount of spice. It's good but not sure if it's worth the price (admitting bias here though for my palate: a little light for my preference but still comes strong with the flavors, as in good intensity). It has that distinct taste which I have a hard time describing but usually aged wines have it. Not saying this is even close to being old yet (I think) but it has that aged taste to it. It's still lively in terms of the spice, acidity, flavor and intensity. Still has good structure and some acidity so this can sleep for another 7-8 years at least. 91 for my biased preference but 92-93 for how well this is made for those who enjoy these flavors.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
from .375ml. inky colour, smooth, luscious but not over-oaky. licorice, black fruit and grilled herbs. I like this as decent acidity for a 2011, but needs time (guess at least 5 more years from 750ml, and perhaps up to 10). 92 now, maybe can go as high as 95. 92++
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Inky color with a bouquet and flavor of dry cherries and herbal notes but now still too young, masking its ultimate contours. Wine with great promise but needs more years in bottle. Try again in a few more years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Carafé pendant 45 minutes, puis bu durant 2 heures. D’abord réticent le nez a ensuite livré des arômes de cassis, de framboises, d’espresso et de pain grillé. La bouche est soyeuse et sexy, sans être vraiment complexe mais offrant une belle gorgée de vin bien ensoleillée. Cet Ornellaia se boira bien durant les 10 prochaines années.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted over the course of a couple of hours prior to tasting. Silky, gorgeous, and everything you could ever want from any Bordeaux blend. Cassis, tobacco, hint of pepper, and lots of life left in this bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
FABULOUS from start to finish. 3 hour decant and then shared over meal and afterwards just in the glass. Dark, brooding and slightly closed still, but boy does the fruit deliver. Blackberry, cassis, and some tobacco. Finish is cigar ash and quite tannic.
This wine has only begun to evolve and has many years to improve.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very dark red/purple color. Drank 1 glass via coravin over an hour. This really evolved nicely over the course of 15 minutes and continued from there. Starts out with lush and dark cassis, creme de cassis, damp earth and graphite, building more complexity and depth over an hour. The palate is has concentration, depth and beautiful texture, so silky, cassis, blackberry, dark cherry, there is ample tannin that compliments the fruit very well along with the earthy depth and cigar notes build. This is big, but it is very well balanced, great texture, layered and still feels very graceful. Excellent on what was essentially a PNP. Not sure how long this had been under coravin. I'd say this is into the window and has considerable life ahead.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Sankt-Anton...beau ski et belles bouteilles!; 1/25/2018-1/28/2018: Au restaurant. Pas carafé. Couleur grenat tirant sur le violet. Arômes de grillé, de moca, fruits noirs. Belle rondeur en bouche, corsé, sexy, moyennement complexe mais procure un plaisir intense. Très bonne longueur. J'ignore la proportion de merlot dans ce millésime mais se rapprochait de Masseto, selon moi.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opaque violet; nose of dust, cedar, cassis and cocoa; pfn with addition of licorice and tar; big mouthfeel and big, integrated tannins; well balanced; long finish with lingering cocoa and tar; Devon gave it a 93
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Poured a late-night glass from Coravin. Not in a particularly good place right now. It's dark and tarry, with a bit of gloss, and very tannic. It has the impression of breeding, to be sure, though it's underachieving by this sample. Tart and unyielding. I'm sure there's a very drinkable wine here, if not more, but I'd recommend holding off for a bit or at least giving it a good decant.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted 3 hours. From 375 ml bottle. Young and tannic but nevertheless a very good wine. This will be much better with a few more years in the cellar. 93(-) pts. at the moment.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very raw and intense, huge, massive grippy tannins, mouth watering acidity, so primary, needs a lot of time. Big notes of ripe black fruits, black currant, clove, cigar box, cedar, jam. Very dense, not over worked, oaked or extracted. Really superb.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened this for the Zatzmans, on their last evening here at Black Diamond before returning to Halifax. Surprisingly approachable for such a young Ornellaia. A beautiful, semi-opaque magenta in color, right up to the edge. Just a bit closed on the nose. Offers very subtle aromas of crushed dark fruits, earth, spice and flowers. Full-bodied, rich and bursting with juicy, mouth-watering blackberry, raspberry and dark currant fruit. Displays impeccable balance, with a moderate acidity that perfectly complements its ripe, delicious fruit. A big wine, but not over-extracted or flabby at all. There's a piercing depth and intensity to the mid-palate. The long, very tannic finish offers plenty of tangy, delicious fruit and lingering notes of violets, mineral and spice. Still somewhat compact and restrained at the very end, this will really be spectacular once it softens, unwinds and adds even more length. Give it a few more years. Still, a wonderful young Ornellaia. 93++ 50+5+12+17+9=93
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank from magnum last nite at Carbone in NYC. Dark ruby in color with nose of black cherries and earth. I've had this wine when it was initially released and the wine, though delicious then, is really coming into its own. In 2014, it was a medium bodied wine, and very tannic--as expected. (Per its winemaker, this is the most tannic version he's produced since he took over operations in 2005). I've been to several introductory tastings of this wine's latest vintages over the past 8 years or so and have always come away thinking the wine was way too young & tannic to appreciate so young. This is the first vintage that I found fairly well approachable back in 2014, and it's even more so today. Though still on the young side, the tannins are quite soft and silky, with the fruit nicely integrated with the various complex elements that comprise this beauty. Still lots of wood here but the juice is so concentrated that it's not particularly noticeable nor does it interfere in any way with one's enjoyment of the wine. Sweet red cherries, earth, coffee, tobacco and cedar, with a very long silky finish. A truly sexy wine and quite delicious.
An absolute beauty! Dark blood red, quite young color. Fresh and vibrant red fruits on the nose. Complex deep ripe fruity flavors on the palate. Full bodied and soft developed tannins. Long pleasant and stunning after taste. I can only imagine to what this wine can develop into after more aging.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Combinare grande intensità e concentrazione con la finezza non è cosa semplice. A questo 2011 l'impresa riesce assai bene. Entrambe le caratteristiche sono evidenti da subito, con un naso di notevole profondità: ciliegia nera, frutti di bosco neri, prugna, viola carnosa, scaglie di cioccolato fondente, spezie e legno di sandalo. Ma questa intensità di frutto viene alleggerita ed ingentilita da un piacevole sottofondo di erbe aromatiche e da una lieve mentolatura che conferiscono grazia. Al primo sorso capisci che è un vino muscolare, ma con tannini carezzevoli, costruito sui contrasti, che lascia un'impressione di dolcezza a bilanciare la lieve sapidità. Bello il finale che si distende ampio. È appena entrato nel suo periodo migliore, e continuerà ad arricchirsi ed affinarsi per diversi anni
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
High-quality Italian wines tasting (Wine-Route, Tel-Aviv): intense dark opaque red-purple excellent dark fruits balance rich nose with dark bitter chocolate notes and earthy -tobacco hints rich dark fruits fruity flavours, bitter chocolate, firm tannins, coffee, truffles, hints of mint-eucalyptus, still tight and too young to fully enjoy but has great potential - requires further ageing of 5 years at least. best from 2025 till 2035.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Extracted, concentrated with loads of black fruit, spice followed by slight eucalyptus, game notes followed by vanilla, tar and cherry. The palate is equally as powerful with a full opulent velvet mouth feel noticeable acidity, cherry, coffee, licorice and a long lasting finish
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Huge tannins restraining most of the complexity here, but already showing some greatness with its powerful and physical structure, revealing red currant, roses, red meat, green spices and caramel. Superb ripeness through whole palate. Great future ahead. Better in at least 5 more years. 92-95
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
At Coco Pazzo in Chicago, great list of Italian wines, most are on the young side (and expensive), but very extensive. Splash decanted, drank over an hour
Deep purple color. Nose of black fruits, violets. Palate is rich blackberry, plum, blue fruits, raisin and vanilla oak. Full bodied, long finish. Has a shade of sweetness on back palate
This is a hedonistic wine with a long life ahead of it. More expressive than I thought it would be at this stage. Still very young, will continue to evolve for some time but good now if you must open it...would wait another 5 years and should drink 20+ past that.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ai Fiori's Ornellaia/Masseto dinner (Ai Fiori (Langham Hotel on 5th Ave)): Drank alongside the '12 and while the '12 is 'I'm here, I'm here, I'm here' this wine is more poking it's head around the corner to see if you're still waiting for it to come out. I happen to prefer the shy one with a bit more nuance, violets, hints of red and black fruit. Very very very young and the kindof wine you expect will become something really special, but it needs a lot more time (20 years). Interesting as the '11 comes from one of the longest harvests at the winery. While I preferred to the '12 (and preferred the '10 to it), the table was more mixed in opinions.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Litt lukket nese med mørk frukt. Tobakk, solbær, blyantspiss. Tight, strukturert, Plommer, rødbær, lær, tobakk, frisk. Tror dette var flaskefeil. Burde gitt mere.. NR
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Quite expressive given the youth. Very dark purple. Intense moccha and chocolate alongside anise, plum, blackberries and sweet, luxurious oak. Full-bodied, still firmly structured, rich, balanced with a long aftertaste.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Hedonistically rich in fruit on the nose. Black pepper, spice, really quite grippy palate, dark fruit, smoke, forceful tannins on the back. Just opened.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ornellaia Master Class with Alessandro Lunardi (Morrell Wine (1 Rockefeller Plaza)): This is the 'golden child' wine. The one that they are aiming for in the other vintages. Interesting to me since I think I preferred the 2010 which just had a touch more mystery and seemed like possibly a higher ceiling for later. Of the group, I found this the most accessible right now, but that is a bit like calling the wine the tallest midget (e.g. I'd still wait 10-15 years on this wine). Bright red cherry, a bit more spice characteristics poking through. Maybe even some blueberry flavors. Good promise here and glad we have a few bottles in our cellar (although they will be laying down for awhile more).
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dense, concentrated and opaque, red-to-black color. Dense, rich and opulent nose that reminds me more of new world fruit bombs than either Tuscany or Bordeaux: intense notes of chocolate, mocha, dried prunes, ripe blackberries, sweet cassis, dusty wood, some sweet, charred oak and a hint of raisins. The palate is in line with the nose and the wine has the elegance of an iron bar. The mouthfeel is dense, full bodied, heavy and very concentrated. Brooding flavors of ripe cherries, dried prunes, dark forest fruits and pronounced bitterness. Dominant new oak flavors give sweet, slightly vanilla spice, but also some bitter burnt tones and hints of dark chocolate that balance out the richness and ripe sweetness of the wine. A hint of herbal mint in the background. Hard to say anything about the acidity, because the massive body hides away any notion of it, but the ample, positively aggressive tannins give the wine a nice, tightly wound structure. Sweet aftertaste with milk chocolate oak, dark forest fruits, dried prunes, bitter dark chocolate and astringent tannic bite. Coarse, tannic, intense and very long finish with massive ripe dark fruit.
Modern, very extracted and over-oaked cult wine, that could be from anywhere - I personally find nothing particularly Tuscan in this one, but also can't say that the sense of Bordeaux would be there. This is like a huge, modern fruit bomb from Australia, California or Chile with only its surprisingly angular tannic structure hinting at Italy. It definitely has a lot of potential for aging and drinking this now is an infanticide: the wine tastes just like an overripe, heavily oaked, modern new world super wine; not a wine with a price of over a hundred euros. I'm might not be impressed now, but probably the wine will fare better after some 15-20 years in the cellar. Definitely not worth the 147€, as one can buy practically the same kind of modern, bombastic stuff from any country in the world for 30-50 euros - or at double price from Napa. I personally fail to see what is the fuss about this wine: to me, it feels just overripe fruit, tucked away under over-extracted oak and supported by dense tannins.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank @ Ristorante Vittorio Emanuele in Verona, Italy: 30 min decant. This was maybe together with the 2001 and 2004 the best Ornellaia I ever had. Already approachable, the flavour was explosive and fresh. Notes of cassis, chocolate, black cherries and the well integrated tannins gave the wine a powerful appearance. Every sip was an adventure with a very long aftertaste. Whilst the wine might be stored easily for at least 10 years I already know today that I cannot resist to drink the bottles left in my cellar within next few years.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark and extracted with loads of ripe red and black fruit. Opulent with mineral, chocolate notes, hints of sweet cedar and herbs mixed with traces of coffee and slight tar.
The palate is silky and powerful, dense with lots of black fruit that give way to raspy tannin's almost immediately. Finishes with earth, chocolate, slight vanilla bean and sweet spices all melded together for a nice long finish
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Super ripe and dense dark fruit, coffee, tar, asphalt and more ripe dark fruit on the nose. This all sailed right through to the rich palate with superb concentration and balance. The fruit is huge and nicely conceals the tannin structure. This is powerful yet silky and will last a long time.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Big Cabs and Big Steaks (The Palm): I really liked the structure and complexity of this vintage. The wine required several hours of air to blossom, and by the time of our main course was a perfect complement to grilled steaks, with juicy cherry and black fruits, menthol grilled herbs, coffee and fine-grained tannins. A muscular wine, barely entering it's drinkable stage, with room for substantial upgrade.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Explosive notes of dark cherries, cassis/black currant, dark chocolate, tobacco, sweet spices. It's full bodied and dense without any heaviness, has medium-high acidity and high tannin that is present but silky. Great and complex finish. A super impressive, explosive and ripe Ornellaia that has enough freshness and structure to age. Wow!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Aromas of slight biscuit, red currant over black currant perfumed top notes, cedar, quote polished. On agitation the fruit darkens and is joined by a slight star anise note. In the mouth the wine is tight, concentrated savoury black fruit and massive tannic grip make this wine almost unbearable at this juncture. Needs years before approaching again.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tastes like a light, elegant and fairly traditional bordauxblend alas a bit spicy. Went rather well straight from the bottle, even if the tannins are there, of course. Day 2 the oak is more evident. After a few days: Nice, cool, blue fruit. As the price is high, I see no reason to buy this instead of a good Bordaux.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Robe rubis opaque à la frange violacée. Bouquet expressif de cassis, mure, olive noire, herbes sèches et boîte à cigare. Bouche ample, complexe avec une superbe profondeur. Les tannins sont serré et de qualité. Encore une réussite.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Amazing nose of black fruit, a hint of bell pepper and a touch of spice. Medium acidity, tannins prominent even with 3 hours of air, beautiful balance, and loong finish. Really enjoyed this now, but has potential to age for 10-20 years, easy.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
In comes the heavyweights. A flight of 5 wines tasted blind and as it turns out the BYOB lot managed to pull out an unexpected trio of Ornellaia, 2011, 2007 and 2010 in a row! All three showed up as full bodied, packed with fruit, young, tannic, dense wines but between themselves they were also very different. No one could imagine they were the same wine in three vintages. The 2011 is dense with opulent aromas of cassis, vanilla, prunes. Grippy tannins, warmth, some tutti-frutti taste. A big muscular wine! Obviously one to hold on to for much longer…Diffcult to rate but given its potential 93-96.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The weirdest thing happened. In a blind, bring-your-own-bottle tasting, 3 out of 9 managed to bring a bottle of Ornellaia. Luckily non were of the same vintage (2011, 2007 and 2010). And even weirder they ended up in a straight row, just by chance, as wine number 5, 6 and 7 in the second flight.
My first thought was Italy, wish I had stayed on that when I gave my blind guess. Had some many ideas about what it could have been I can not even remember my final statement. Probably a south france Cabernet and Tannat blend :)
Complex nose with some cherries, blackberries, liquorice, light herbs, rubber ball, lots of oak and a little vanilla, butterscotch. Medium+ acidity, lots of fruit, young, grippy tannins. High, extraordinary intensity and a long, long finish. This needs time in the cellar, at least 15 years, considering the state of the 2007 that came after.
¤BYOB
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Mixed wines with Munskänkarna, including some Super Tuscans (Stockholm): Noticeably darker in colour than the 2011 Sassicaia and a bit more compact. A big, powerful and berry-dominated nose with dark plums, blackcurrants, salty liquorice, tar, and noticeable oak with chocolate and coffee. Definitely full-bodied with a massive concentration of berries, mixed dark berries including blackcurrants and blackberries, good acidity, liquorice, noticeable pepper notes, powerful tannins that are made somewhat fresher mid-palate by the acidity, but that really linger on. Other than the tannins, the aftertaste is dominated by dark berries, liquorice and pepper. This wine is young, very modern, and distinctly massive, 94(+) p.
Very similar to a high-end, modern Saint-Émilion in both nose and palate. Although this wine is also highly modern, in my opinion it absorbs its oak treatment better than its little brother 2012 Le Serre Nuove. It is at least half a size bigger than Sassicaia, and actually has a tougher aftertaste.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tarry, inky nose with a creamy vanilla aromas. Nice savoury character on the entry but then a wall of dense dark spicy tannins. The fruits is there with a really lovely blackcurrant leaf character but needs so much time to unfurl. Dense, rich and expensively made. Needs so, so much time.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Modern, chocolatey, oaky, malo-milk, toasty, Napa-ish and international but I loved it :-D (ever so slightly less impressive the the 2010 it was paired with but a style very similar to)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Color: deep garnet Nose: wet stones, plums, leather, lavender Taste: plum, currant, vanilla, coffee and minerals. This wine is very, very young. Infanticide opening this, but we were at a tasting at Ornellaia. At first, it was tough to get beyond the gripping tannins, but then as it opened up, flavors started emerging. This does seem elegant, not a brute. Ornellaia usually takes 10 years minimum to be ready to drink, winery suggests this year, named "infinity" has at least 20 years for peak, and don't touch for 6-7 at a minimum
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Carpe Vino!; 11/9/2014-11/15/2014 (Tuscany (Florence, Montalcino, Siena)): 51% Cabernet, 32% Merlot, 12% Petit Verdot/Cab Franc. This wine is much stronger and much more structured than the rest of the Ornellaia portfolio. As per usual I get the sense that more so even than some of the other SuperTuscans this is just infanticide. Maybe it'll be ready in 25 years? It's a lot of tannin, but poking through there's some nice red currant and some lovely spicy characteristics. We had an '97 a few months ago and it was just singing (albeit still pretty young tasting). Will be great though when it all comes together.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A Tasting of Wines From Italy (Roy Thompson Hall, Toronto, ON): Wow! Gorgeous nose already here. Nose reveals graphite, crushed rocks, mineral, herbs, medium roast coffee, pure sweet cassis, dark cherry and plummy notes. Really quite an excellent wine poised to age beautifully. Palate has lots of sweet fruit but also quite high herb and graphite tinged tannins. All the sweet fruit of a right bank Bordeaux with the herbal structure of the left bank. Good acid levels as well. Just a bit of alcohol pokes through on the palate.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dinner with Friends (Jen and Phil's - Chicago IL): Open many hours before serving, which I think really helped. Sweetly floral with crushed black berries throughout, nicely spice with anise and allspice along with vanilla and cedar. Very fine and elegant tannins.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Concentrated, black currant, raisin, mineral and char nose. Big concentration with warm to hot alcohol and firm, ripe tannins; solid dark fruit flavours lead to a toasted finish. More extraction than complexity, this vintage could take some time to show its best. 4/5
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Compared to 2011 Sassicaia this is much more expressive, with riper fruit on the nose. Richer, fuller. Great grip and texture, quite firm and tight, fantastic length. Superb. 95-96+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A little close at first, when it opens it comes with absolutely delicious and defined fruit aromas of blueberry, red currant, blackberry. Charming with nicely configured tannins, will be getting better and better.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The 2011 Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore offers an anything but ordinary complexity worthy of making other producers weep with envy. Containing the fruit and oak notes one might expect from a Tuscan blend, you will enjoy the added elements of animal skin, fall leaves and anise. Do not expect a premature finish from this full-bodied masterpiece. It’s atypically angular attributes leave a lasting impression on the palate.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank once again at NYC Wine Spectator event and my notes are entirely consistent with my last tasting of this wine last month. A fantastic, well-crafted wine drinking wonderfully right now, but will improve dramatically with bottle age.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Quite different character from the 2010. 2011 was a hot year in Bolgheri and picking too was early. And in fact the it shows definitively bigger and plumper than the previous vintage, with plenty of black plum, cherry, sweet spices. There are also hints of balsam and some toastiness, but the oak is not too powerful. Acid is above average, tannins are silky and well integrated, body is full and in general the wine weighs nicely on your mouth. In the aftertaste you also perceive a very pleasant and delicate vanilla nuance. Probably it has less aging potential than the 2010, but at this stage it is readier and more pleasant to drink.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Vinorama Classic Event 2014: Unquestionably a very fine wine with fantastic depth and sheer elegance. This still has a lot of oak to shed and tannins to integrate but you can already taste there is excellent fruit in here and only the finest oak has been used. Very skillfull winemaking. A ripe but fresh fruit, coffee flavors, vegetal tobacco notes and smoke, some sweet vanilla and plenty of ripe and silky tannins. The tannins are really soft and this is surprisingly approachable already. Great future ahead though. No surprise, this will need some years in the cellar. - 94+ points
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank at a private tasting in NYC hosted by the winemaker & US importer in NYC to introduce this newest vintage. Fairly dark color, though it was dark in Armani's so it was hard to see the wine well. I didn't pull much from the nose other than perhaps some dark fruit, leather or tar. Medium bodied wine, and very tannic--as expected. (Per its winemaker, this is the most tannic version he's produced since he took over operations in 2005). I've been to several introductory tastings of this wine's latest vintages over the past 5 years or so and have always come away thinking the wine was way too young & tannic to appreciate so young. This is the first vintage that I found fairly well approachable at this event. Definitely a baby, but I initially found the tannins to be quite soft and silky, with the fruit nicely integrated with the various complex elements that comprise this beauty. I would have thought this to be a youngish right bank bordeaux. As the wine sat in glass, I noticed it developing more of the grippy, austere character that I've come to expect from this wine in its infant stage. Lots of wood here but the juice is so concentrated that it's not particularly noticeable nor does it interfere in any way with one's enjoyment of the wine. (We had a great comparison as Le Serre Nouve 2007--the winemaker's 2nd label--was also served and there the wood was overpowering, & the wine sweet & loaded with vanilla; not my cup of tea. The winemaker pointed out that each wine had equivalent contact with French oak but the O's fruit was at such a concentrated level that it simply absorbed the wood & all the great stuff that comes along with it such that, even in its infancy, the wine's various elements are already extremely well-integrated making for a wonderful, neat package). Overall, a fabulous wine with a very bright, and long future ahead. I look forward to drinking it again in the next 5-10 years when my score will likely be even higher.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
4/26/2024 - RunarN wrote: 96 Points
Licorice, leather, well developed tertiary aromas, firm tannins and dark fruit
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/30/2024 - mtushar Likes this wine: 92 Points
Needed decanting for more than an hour to allow it to open up and transform from a mediocre wine on the first sip poured out of the bottle to the real top wine that Ornellaia is supposed to be! Patience / prior planning will pay off brilliantly.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/1/2024 - vvWine.ch wrote: 93 Points
Kräftiges Rubinrot, keine Alterstöne. Expressive Nase, geprägt von reifen dunklen Früchten, Weihnachtsgewürzen, getrockneten Kräutern, Pflaumenkompott, blonder Tabak, Leder, mit etwas mehr Luft zeigen sich florale Töne, sehr komplex. Im Gaumen zugänglich, reichhaltig, rund, sehr intensive Frucht, viel Druck, dennoch Eleganz, der Wein strahlt eine Wärme aus, verfügt über viel Tannin und eine gut dosierte Säure. Aromatisch im Abgang mit sehr guter Länge, hinterlässt würzige und dunkelfruchtige Aromen. Ab sofort bis 2030 geniessen. 93 vvPunkte
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/7/2024 - pavel_p wrote: flawed
Emirates lounge. Tried from two different bottles. Both very ripe and a touch oxidative already. In the glass a dark garnet with an almost black core and a very thin translucent rim. Rich fruit and high alcohol. Hope this was simply a flawed / heat damaged shipment… NR
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/19/2023 - dalemosier Likes this wine: 94 Points
Did a head to head competition between 2010 Pasteur and 2011 Ornellia Bolgheri. Two different wines but gave both a 94 . Pasteur clearly held its own. More complex. Decanted Pasteur for 2 hours and Ornellia 1 hour.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/13/2023 - Collector1855 wrote: 94 Points
Salon Ficofi Paris walkabout tasting and dinner, no detailed tasting notes. Velvety mouth feel, well done, aromatically a bit harmless though. May be that can come with age.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/15/2023 - Irish_Wine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Refined and elegant on the nose. Perfectly ripe black cherry, blackberry and blackcurrant. Fine spices, pencil shavings and leather. Full bodied with polished tannins and fresh acidity. Finishes long. Still structured and improved with air so worth decanting if drinking now. Pure class.
WSET Notes:
Medium ruby.
Pronounced on the nose with black cherry, blackberry, blackcurrant, cedar, dark chocolate, cinnamon stick, vanilla, pencil shavings, leather. Developing.
Pronounced and dry on the palate. Full body, high alcohol, high tannins, high acidity, long finish.
Can drink now but has potential for ageing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/3/2023 - sjfunkenhauser wrote: 95 Points
Medium ruby colour.
Pronounced aromas of dusty road, blackberry, black cherry, red cherry, ferrous soil, graphite, hint of cigar box, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg.
Pronounced palate.
Full body, high acidity, high tannin, long finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/25/2023 - HarveyManfrenjensenden wrote: 94 Points
Lovely super Tuscan. Surprisingly approachable with minimal decant. Drinking well right now
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/11/2023 - The_Cat wrote: 94 Points
Deep garnet red. Ripe and complex nose. Still some fruit keft but first flashes of mushroom and truffle fresh brewed coffee. Velvety tannins and excellent length
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/7/2023 - capacious wrote: 85 Points
Perhaps a faulty bottle, I have never not liked this wine, but we gave it a try on night one, waited to night two, it did not improve. Tannins buried everything
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/1/2023 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Ornellaia Dinner (Stefani Prime - Lincolnwood IL): Double blind in what turned out to be an Ornellaia vertical, which I correctly identified as an Italian Bordeaux blend. Opulent aromatic start, well spiced, just some backward notes that followed through on palate with firm tannins. Lots here, perhaps 91 points tonight and 94 points a decade from now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/30/2023 - Winsip Likes this wine: 94 Points
So complex on the nose, full of ripe red fruits, plum, espresso, dark chocolate, vanilla, fresh tobacco leaf and graphite. On the palate, rich and ripe texture, rounded, full-bodied, almost mouth-coating tannins with sweet oak and peppery finish. Great length, very persistent, very stubborn.
Less of the multi-dimensional layer and depth but an awesome young drinking Ornellaia which will be enjoyable for a long time. Definitely a long decanting required to help this big boy to come around better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/7/2023 - The_Cat wrote: 94 Points
Deep garnet red. Lots of red and black berries a bit of very dark chocolate and coffee. Full bodied with nice soft tannins and excellent length
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/4/2023 - jmoon Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very enjoyable from first pour. Probably at peak at the one hour mark, and held nicely. Beautiful wine, but didn’t have the energy of the last bottle. I’m hoping it was an off day for my palette rather than a slipping from the pleasure plateau.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/13/2023 - CCGCCG Likes this wine: 95 Points
Perfect for the Fusili with Octopus and bone marrow at Morea. It open very quickly. We pump important, but it opened within the first 20 minutes. Surprising.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2022 - sean7711 Likes this wine: 96 Points
From magnum. Opened and slow ox'ed in the bottle for about 5 hours before dinner. Had with manicotti, zitoni, and homemade sunday gravy on Christmas eve.
The below notes really hit upon what makes this bottle special. It's right in its wheelhouse right now. Crimson/ruby color, Earthy, spices, a bit of leather and graphite. Well made, great take on a super tuscan. Had a glass left over for Christmas dinner and went well with beef tenderloin as well.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/27/2022 - T.E.D. wrote: 93 Points
Cloudy crimson color. Initial opening nose of clay, cedar and forest, over time hints of refined berry fruit. Palate really showed nice structure and complexity. Still quite tight. Chalky, loamy, minty palate. Hints of stewed berry. Very well made.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/19/2022 - Waël Likes this wine: 95 Points
Revisited again a year later. No decant. Still amazing, but completely transformed. The nose brims of firewood, ash, forest floor graphite and leather. The palate is powerful, but much more refined, with only subtle tannins. Long finish. Rosemary, pepper, thyme, mint, moist earth, and a hint of sweet marzipan finihs come together in this unique combination. Drinking extremely well now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/6/2022 - Ben Christiansen wrote: 53 Points
Well a bit super modern to it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)
11/6/2022 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Right in the ball park and all good. Drink now
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/9/2022 - rougeamore Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for 2 hours and drank over the next 2. This wine is deep ruby in color with aromas of dark cherries and currant. On the palate, this wine exhibits mostly red fruits and is very dry, smoky and earthy with tannins that are still very prominent and tight. The wine is full bodied with a med/long finish. Will try to show some restraint and wait for at least 5 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/14/2022 - BrunelloBob wrote: 90 Points
Decanted three hours and drank over the next three. Drying tannin, mineral, graphite, dry red fruit. Grossly over-rated. (and here come the attacks via "THE NEW CELLARTRACKER"...)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)
10/25/2021 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 91 Points
A private dinner (Restaurant d'Oude Schuur, Sint-Martens-Latem, Belgium): Rich and meaty, cloves, beef stew, spicy, glossy black cherries, concentrated and youthful, quite rough tannins, fresh and lively finish, very good length, Lacks finesse. Butch.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/21/2021 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Wine Spectator 40th Anniversary; 10/21/2021-10/23/2021 (Marriott Marquis): Big and bold. This reminded me of California winemaking in Italy. Very fruity - lots of blackberry. It's balanced though and good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/26/2021 - BHP1994 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very structured and tight even after a 2hr decant. Opened up finally going into hour 4. Wait on this for another 5-10 yrs.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/9/2021 - RoosterBird wrote: 90 Points
Impressively concentrated wine, but the tannins are incredibly intense and drying even a decade after harvest. This wine is built to go the distance - if you have some in your cellar, I wouldn’t pop it for at least 5 more years and it will probably sing in 15 or more.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/22/2021 - Paco55 wrote: 95 Points
Needs more time - even after a 6 hour decant it’s still growing in the glass. Give it another 4 years in bottle.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/22/2021 - Iceman611 wrote: 94 Points
Wonderfully balanced. Perfect drinking time. Drank like a good bordeaux. Grilled / charcoal notes balanced the other elements. Solid tannins but nicely integrated.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/25/2021 - C.Thibault wrote:
Cadeau 40 ans de Marie et Dave
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/15/2021 - Waël Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasted at first pour, then decanted for an hour, and drank over additional 2 hours. The nose is downright amazing. Fresh green pepper, black spices, caramel and dark cocoa. The palate is robust, full bodied, long finish, with slicing tannins. Very fresh and vibrant to the palate. Red berries, cassis, pop corn, leather, licorice, and a spicy finish of black pepper. Absolutely gorgeous work of art. Will give more in 2-5 years. It so beautiful at a decade of age, I would not age it beyond 15 years.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/13/2021 - sirpat00 wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for about 2h (but started drinking right away), then consumed over 4 days. Kicks off with great intensity, very Bordeaux-esque with ripe dark cherry, bramble berry, savoury notes but also earthy notes in the mix. The base felt vegetal with greenish herbal aromas. Appeared round and well balanced initially, but tannins turned out to be still a bit rough in the end. On day 3 the nose turned darker and more refined, adding fig comfit to the platter of flavours. The palate was better integrated with nice tension and a more round feeling to it. On day 4 developing an additional leathery depth as the palate softened further, turning slightly glazed even – although overall day 4 felt like over-stretching it already a bit. Was best on day 3 but finest on the palate on day 4. Definitely see more potential, but the palate couldn’t entire transport the complexity promised on the nose. Would decant 3-4h next time.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/3/2021 - LongViewCellars wrote: 92 Points
Better on day 2. 3 hour decant, tannins didn’t feel integrated and tasted a bit metallic. Started showing promise after 6 hours or so and much better on day 2. Not my favorite showing.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/8/2021 - zTroy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Powdery and complex
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2020 - Ericsson wrote: 92 Points
Magnum ouvert le 30 pour le 31.
A l’ouverture, petite goutte pour déguster (cassis et alcool) puis rebouché et carafé 3 heures avant consommation.
Couleur violet sombre, impénétrable.
Au nez, les arômes de cassis sont toujours bien présents, avec une touche grillée, épices, boisé.
En bouche, puissant, séveux, concentré avec des tanins légèrement granuleux, finale moyenne.
Un vin qui exige de la nourriture et qui a bien accompagné le filet de bœuf Wellington.
Très bon vin mais m’a moins convaincu que la bouteille précédente.
Je ne suis pas persuadé du bienfait d’une longue aération, ni d’une trop longue garde d’ailleurs, et je préfère consommer ces Bolgheri plutôt jeunes, pour leur côté hédonistique.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/6/2020 - mhekman Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep ruby color (15/15)
Raspberry, cola and plum on the nose with a little barnyard funk and vanilla (20/20)
Dry, medium body with high tannins and sharp acidity with a long, slightly bitter finish (26/30)
Delightful Italian wine that is food friendly but a little disjointed in my view as the nose is quite good while the mid-palate is a little 'angry' with a slightly bitter finish. This needs more time or a well-seasoned steak to soften it's edges (32/35)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/20/2020 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 96 Points
Opaque purple garnet color turning crimson at the rim with a reflective edge. The nose is ethereal with chocolate, deep dark berry cola, and vanilla. The palate is full bodied, lifted with bright acidity, and a fleshy texture. Flavors of dark cherry, raspberry at the core with secondary notes of seared meat, toasted oak, and roasted hazelnut. Finishes long with hints of eucalyptus menthol. Drink now until 2036.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/8/2020 - Gooddummy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Enjoyed, guests loved it. Cellared four years, maybe could use a few more. Great wine but 1998 & 2004 were much better.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/25/2020 - Larry&Ron Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great fruit is present.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/30/2020 - SonnyChiba wrote: 94 Points
94+ pts. Decanted for 6hours, but took a sip right after opening and it was already terrific. Gorgeous dark purple color, everything in perfect harmony, just flat out delicious wine. Young but completely approachable right now. Loved it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/17/2020 - Ericsson Likes this wine: 94 Points
18 mois depuis la dernière bouteille et peu de changement.
Pas de passage en carafe cette fois, mais ouverture prolongée de 2,5 heures.
Robe prune foncée tirant sur le violet, au nez cassis, fruits noirs et encre de Chine, moins d'arômes grillés cette fois-ci.
En bouche, sexy et soyeux avec une belle minéralité et une acidité adéquate. Très bonne longueur.
Pas le vin le plus complexe mais très agréable.
94+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/4/2019 - P257pax wrote: 92 Points
On the nose red berries, on the palate minerals, black berries and minerals with just a touch of heat. Wait 2-3 years and it will be even better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/24/2019 - jmoon Likes this wine: 94 Points
consistent w previous notes
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/5/2019 - Sethbo11 wrote: 94 Points
Beatiful nose. Still tannic on the finish. Will last a while.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/20/2019 - jmoon Likes this wine: 94 Points
superbly fresh and clean. Incredible elegance. More relaxing and enjoyable than the 06 at the moment. Pungent spicy finish.
50% Cabernet
Double decanted 7 hrs prior
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/16/2019 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose: Dark fruits like cherries and fresher plums, deep forest floor, well integrated oak (like a clean, yet old spice box) and a slight balsamic note (not in a bad way at all).
Palate: Rich earth integrated with the dark fruit, dried oak, slight minerality, slight heat still and some spice.
Dark Ruby with a subtle bricking. Dry with medium amounts of fine, slightly grippy tannins. Light-plus to medium minus body with medium acidity. Good finish of about 11+ seconds. Fruits come first then followed with some slight oak and finishes with a lingering minerality and a good amount of spice. It's good but not sure if it's worth the price (admitting bias here though for my palate: a little light for my preference but still comes strong with the flavors, as in good intensity). It has that distinct taste which I have a hard time describing but usually aged wines have it. Not saying this is even close to being old yet (I think) but it has that aged taste to it. It's still lively in terms of the spice, acidity, flavor and intensity. Still has good structure and some acidity so this can sleep for another 7-8 years at least. 91 for my biased preference but 92-93 for how well this is made for those who enjoy these flavors.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/8/2019 - il_diavolo wrote: 92 Points
from .375ml. inky colour, smooth, luscious but not over-oaky. licorice, black fruit and grilled herbs. I like this as decent acidity for a 2011, but needs time (guess at least 5 more years from 750ml, and perhaps up to 10). 92 now, maybe can go as high as 95. 92++
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/23/2019 - tcosgriff Likes this wine: 95 Points
Inky color with a bouquet and flavor of dry cherries and herbal notes but now still too young, masking its ultimate contours. Wine with great promise but needs more years in bottle. Try again in a few more years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/31/2018 - fournet wrote: 92 Points
Nice wine but I would give this about 3-5 years to get to its happy spot. More modern in style.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/22/2018 - Ericsson wrote: 94 Points
Carafé pendant 45 minutes, puis bu durant 2 heures. D’abord réticent le nez a ensuite livré des arômes de cassis, de framboises, d’espresso et de pain grillé. La bouche est soyeuse et sexy, sans être vraiment complexe mais offrant une belle gorgée de vin bien ensoleillée.
Cet Ornellaia se boira bien durant les 10 prochaines années.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/20/2018 - StasMedvedev.lv Likes this wine: 93 Points
🏅 Rating 93/100 (4,3🌟)
Dark ripe fruits and cherry, espresso and chocolate. Fine tannins, dense and rich on the palate. Early maturity stage, will develop more.
Bordeaux blend: 51% CS, 32%M, 11% CF, 6% PV.
Aged 18mo in 70% new oak barriques following 12mo in bottles.
Iconic Bolgheri SuperTuscan founded by Antinori, once co-owned by Robert Mondavi and now by Frescobaldi family.
Great wine, but my heart stays with the Classic Bordeaux.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/20/2018 - Ishay wrote: 90 Points
Nice but not exciting wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/20/2018 - bkc1428 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted over the course of a couple of hours prior to tasting. Silky, gorgeous, and everything you could ever want from any Bordeaux blend. Cassis, tobacco, hint of pepper, and lots of life left in this bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/11/2018 - tomoem Likes this wine: 95 Points
FABULOUS from start to finish. 3 hour decant and then shared over meal and afterwards just in the glass. Dark, brooding and slightly closed still, but boy does the fruit deliver. Blackberry, cassis, and some tobacco. Finish is cigar ash and quite tannic.
This wine has only begun to evolve and has many years to improve.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/16/2018 - rocknroller wrote: 95 Points
Very dark red/purple color. Drank 1 glass via coravin over an hour. This really evolved nicely over the course of 15 minutes and continued from there. Starts out with lush and dark cassis, creme de cassis, damp earth and graphite, building more complexity and depth over an hour. The palate is has concentration, depth and beautiful texture, so silky, cassis, blackberry, dark cherry, there is ample tannin that compliments the fruit very well along with the earthy depth and cigar notes build. This is big, but it is very well balanced, great texture, layered and still feels very graceful. Excellent on what was essentially a PNP. Not sure how long this had been under coravin. I'd say this is into the window and has considerable life ahead.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/26/2018 - Ericsson Likes this wine: 95 Points
Sankt-Anton...beau ski et belles bouteilles!; 1/25/2018-1/28/2018: Au restaurant. Pas carafé. Couleur grenat tirant sur le violet. Arômes de grillé, de moca, fruits noirs. Belle rondeur en bouche, corsé, sexy, moyennement complexe mais procure un plaisir intense. Très bonne longueur. J'ignore la proportion de merlot dans ce millésime mais se rapprochait de Masseto, selon moi.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/3/2017 - schirri1 wrote: 98 Points
Outstanding. Definitely a warm vintage - big wine.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/28/2017 - Brent25 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opaque violet; nose of dust, cedar, cassis and cocoa; pfn with addition of licorice and tar; big mouthfeel and big, integrated tannins; well balanced; long finish with lingering cocoa and tar; Devon gave it a 93
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/24/2017 - psmith wrote:
Poured a late-night glass from Coravin. Not in a particularly good place right now. It's dark and tarry, with a bit of gloss, and very tannic. It has the impression of breeding, to be sure, though it's underachieving by this sample. Tart and unyielding. I'm sure there's a very drinkable wine here, if not more, but I'd recommend holding off for a bit or at least giving it a good decant.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/17/2017 - Romol Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 3 hours. From 375 ml bottle. Young and tannic but nevertheless a very good wine. This will be much better with a few more years in the cellar. 93(-) pts. at the moment.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/2/2017 - PT insurgent wrote:
Very raw and intense, huge, massive grippy tannins, mouth watering acidity, so primary, needs a lot of time.
Big notes of ripe black fruits, black currant, clove, cigar box, cedar, jam. Very dense, not over worked, oaked or extracted. Really superb.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/28/2017 - Bam_Man Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened this for the Zatzmans, on their last evening here at Black Diamond before returning to Halifax. Surprisingly approachable for such a young Ornellaia. A beautiful, semi-opaque magenta in color, right up to the edge. Just a bit closed on the nose. Offers very subtle aromas of crushed dark fruits, earth, spice and flowers. Full-bodied, rich and bursting with juicy, mouth-watering blackberry, raspberry and dark currant fruit. Displays impeccable balance, with a moderate acidity that perfectly complements its ripe, delicious fruit. A big wine, but not over-extracted or flabby at all. There's a piercing depth and intensity to the mid-palate. The long, very tannic finish offers plenty of tangy, delicious fruit and lingering notes of violets, mineral and spice. Still somewhat compact and restrained at the very end, this will really be spectacular once it softens, unwinds and adds even more length. Give it a few more years. Still, a wonderful young Ornellaia. 93++
50+5+12+17+9=93
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/20/2017 - cephomer Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank from magnum last nite at Carbone in NYC. Dark ruby in color with nose of black cherries and earth. I've had this wine when it was initially released and the wine, though delicious then, is really coming into its own. In 2014, it was a medium bodied wine, and very tannic--as expected. (Per its winemaker, this is the most tannic version he's produced since he took over operations in 2005). I've been to several introductory tastings of this wine's latest vintages over the past 8 years or so and have always come away thinking the wine was way too young & tannic to appreciate so young. This is the first vintage that I found fairly well approachable back in 2014, and it's even more so today. Though still on the young side, the tannins are quite soft and silky, with the fruit nicely integrated with the various complex elements that comprise this beauty. Still lots of wood here but the juice is so concentrated that it's not particularly noticeable nor does it interfere in any way with one's enjoyment of the wine. Sweet red cherries, earth, coffee, tobacco and cedar, with a very long silky finish. A truly sexy wine and quite delicious.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
4/4/2017 - marcolino wrote:
Actually Closed down.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/10/2017 - S_Kaaria Likes this wine: 95 Points
An absolute beauty! Dark blood red, quite young color. Fresh and vibrant red fruits on the nose. Complex deep ripe fruity flavors on the palate. Full bodied and soft developed tannins. Long pleasant and stunning after taste. I can only imagine to what this wine can develop into after more aging.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/17/2017 - Bluespolo wrote: 94 Points
Combinare grande intensità e concentrazione con la finezza non è cosa semplice. A questo 2011 l'impresa riesce assai bene. Entrambe le caratteristiche sono evidenti da subito, con un naso di notevole profondità: ciliegia nera, frutti di bosco neri, prugna, viola carnosa, scaglie di cioccolato fondente, spezie e legno di sandalo. Ma questa intensità di frutto viene alleggerita ed ingentilita da un piacevole sottofondo di erbe aromatiche e da una lieve mentolatura che conferiscono grazia. Al primo sorso capisci che è un vino muscolare, ma con tannini carezzevoli, costruito sui contrasti, che lascia un'impressione di dolcezza a bilanciare la lieve sapidità. Bello il finale che si distende ampio. È appena entrato nel suo periodo migliore, e continuerà ad arricchirsi ed affinarsi per diversi anni
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/27/2016 - Yagil wrote: 92 Points
High-quality Italian wines tasting (Wine-Route, Tel-Aviv): intense dark opaque red-purple
excellent dark fruits balance rich nose with dark bitter chocolate notes and earthy -tobacco hints
rich dark fruits fruity flavours, bitter chocolate, firm tannins, coffee, truffles, hints of mint-eucalyptus, still tight and too young to fully enjoy but has great potential - requires further ageing of 5 years at least. best from 2025 till 2035.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/20/2016 - Camacho Likes this wine:
Extracted, concentrated with loads of black fruit, spice followed by slight eucalyptus, game notes followed by vanilla, tar and cherry.
The palate is equally as powerful with a full opulent velvet mouth feel noticeable acidity, cherry, coffee, licorice and a long lasting finish
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/18/2016 - kbcadeponei wrote: 92 Points
Huge tannins restraining most of the complexity here, but already showing some greatness with its powerful and physical structure, revealing red currant, roses, red meat, green spices and caramel. Superb ripeness through whole palate. Great future ahead. Better in at least 5 more years. 92-95
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/18/2016 - walkerjfw wrote: 94 Points
At Coco Pazzo in Chicago, great list of Italian wines, most are on the young side (and expensive), but very extensive. Splash decanted, drank over an hour
Deep purple color. Nose of black fruits, violets. Palate is rich blackberry, plum, blue fruits, raisin and vanilla oak. Full bodied, long finish. Has a shade of sweetness on back palate
This is a hedonistic wine with a long life ahead of it. More expressive than I thought it would be at this stage. Still very young, will continue to evolve for some time but good now if you must open it...would wait another 5 years and should drink 20+ past that.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/3/2016 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Ai Fiori's Ornellaia/Masseto dinner (Ai Fiori (Langham Hotel on 5th Ave)): Drank alongside the '12 and while the '12 is 'I'm here, I'm here, I'm here' this wine is more poking it's head around the corner to see if you're still waiting for it to come out. I happen to prefer the shy one with a bit more nuance, violets, hints of red and black fruit. Very very very young and the kindof wine you expect will become something really special, but it needs a lot more time (20 years). Interesting as the '11 comes from one of the longest harvests at the winery. While I preferred to the '12 (and preferred the '10 to it), the table was more mixed in opinions.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/10/2016 - "Rhône Rider" Likes this wine:
Litt lukket nese med mørk frukt. Tobakk, solbær, blyantspiss. Tight, strukturert,
Plommer, rødbær, lær, tobakk, frisk.
Tror dette var flaskefeil. Burde gitt mere..
NR
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/28/2015 - Yiannis Likes this wine: 96 Points
Quite expressive given the youth. Very dark purple. Intense moccha and chocolate alongside anise, plum, blackberries and sweet, luxurious oak. Full-bodied, still firmly structured, rich, balanced with a long aftertaste.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/22/2015 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Hedonistically rich in fruit on the nose. Black pepper, spice, really quite grippy palate, dark fruit, smoke, forceful tannins on the back. Just opened.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/7/2015 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Ornellaia Master Class with Alessandro Lunardi (Morrell Wine (1 Rockefeller Plaza)): This is the 'golden child' wine. The one that they are aiming for in the other vintages. Interesting to me since I think I preferred the 2010 which just had a touch more mystery and seemed like possibly a higher ceiling for later. Of the group, I found this the most accessible right now, but that is a bit like calling the wine the tallest midget (e.g. I'd still wait 10-15 years on this wine). Bright red cherry, a bit more spice characteristics poking through. Maybe even some blueberry flavors. Good promise here and glad we have a few bottles in our cellar (although they will be laying down for awhile more).
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/4/2015 - forceberry wrote: 88 Points
Dense, concentrated and opaque, red-to-black color. Dense, rich and opulent nose that reminds me more of new world fruit bombs than either Tuscany or Bordeaux: intense notes of chocolate, mocha, dried prunes, ripe blackberries, sweet cassis, dusty wood, some sweet, charred oak and a hint of raisins. The palate is in line with the nose and the wine has the elegance of an iron bar. The mouthfeel is dense, full bodied, heavy and very concentrated. Brooding flavors of ripe cherries, dried prunes, dark forest fruits and pronounced bitterness. Dominant new oak flavors give sweet, slightly vanilla spice, but also some bitter burnt tones and hints of dark chocolate that balance out the richness and ripe sweetness of the wine. A hint of herbal mint in the background. Hard to say anything about the acidity, because the massive body hides away any notion of it, but the ample, positively aggressive tannins give the wine a nice, tightly wound structure. Sweet aftertaste with milk chocolate oak, dark forest fruits, dried prunes, bitter dark chocolate and astringent tannic bite. Coarse, tannic, intense and very long finish with massive ripe dark fruit.
Modern, very extracted and over-oaked cult wine, that could be from anywhere - I personally find nothing particularly Tuscan in this one, but also can't say that the sense of Bordeaux would be there. This is like a huge, modern fruit bomb from Australia, California or Chile with only its surprisingly angular tannic structure hinting at Italy. It definitely has a lot of potential for aging and drinking this now is an infanticide: the wine tastes just like an overripe, heavily oaked, modern new world super wine; not a wine with a price of over a hundred euros. I'm might not be impressed now, but probably the wine will fare better after some 15-20 years in the cellar. Definitely not worth the 147€, as one can buy practically the same kind of modern, bombastic stuff from any country in the world for 30-50 euros - or at double price from Napa. I personally fail to see what is the fuss about this wine: to me, it feels just overripe fruit, tucked away under over-extracted oak and supported by dense tannins.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/7/2015 - Sandro Likes this wine: 97 Points
Drank @ Ristorante Vittorio Emanuele in Verona, Italy: 30 min decant. This was maybe together with the 2001 and 2004 the best Ornellaia I ever had. Already approachable, the flavour was explosive and fresh. Notes of cassis, chocolate, black cherries and the well integrated tannins gave the wine a powerful appearance. Every sip was an adventure with a very long aftertaste. Whilst the wine might be stored easily for at least 10 years I already know today that I cannot resist to drink the bottles left in my cellar within next few years.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/24/2015 - Sundbyberg wrote: 90 Points
Tasting: Not my type of wine. To me this tastes extracted and perfumed. Not jammy, though. 4 hr decant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (2)
9/2/2015 - Camacho Likes this wine:
Dark and extracted with loads of ripe red and black fruit. Opulent with mineral, chocolate notes, hints of sweet cedar and herbs mixed with traces of coffee and slight tar.
The palate is silky and powerful, dense with lots of black fruit that give way to raspy tannin's almost immediately. Finishes with earth, chocolate, slight vanilla bean and sweet spices all melded together for a nice long finish
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/9/2015 - johnh1001 wrote: 93 Points
Super ripe and dense dark fruit, coffee, tar, asphalt and more ripe dark fruit on the nose. This all sailed right through to the rich palate with superb concentration and balance. The fruit is huge and nicely conceals the tannin structure. This is powerful yet silky and will last a long time.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/4/2015 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 93 Points
Big Cabs and Big Steaks (The Palm): I really liked the structure and complexity of this vintage. The wine required several hours of air to blossom, and by the time of our main course was a perfect complement to grilled steaks, with juicy cherry and black fruits, menthol grilled herbs, coffee and fine-grained tannins. A muscular wine, barely entering it's drinkable stage, with room for substantial upgrade.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/27/2015 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 96 Points
Explosive notes of dark cherries, cassis/black currant, dark chocolate, tobacco, sweet spices. It's full bodied and dense without any heaviness, has medium-high acidity and high tannin that is present but silky. Great and complex finish. A super impressive, explosive and ripe Ornellaia that has enough freshness and structure to age. Wow!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/4/2015 - chatters wrote:
Aromas of slight biscuit, red currant over black currant perfumed top notes, cedar, quote polished. On agitation the fruit darkens and is joined by a slight star anise note. In the mouth the wine is tight, concentrated savoury black fruit and massive tannic grip make this wine almost unbearable at this juncture. Needs years before approaching again.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/23/2015 - mwanasheria Likes this wine: 92 Points
Slightly astringent at first but came round with some air. Cassis, blackberries, some bell pepper and green notes.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/2/2015 - Sundbyberg wrote: 93 Points
Tastes like a light, elegant and fairly traditional bordauxblend alas a bit spicy. Went rather well straight from the bottle, even if the tannins are there, of course. Day 2 the oak is more evident. After a few days: Nice, cool, blue fruit.
As the price is high, I see no reason to buy this instead of a good Bordaux.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/25/2015 - FMRsommelier wrote: 95 Points
Robe rubis opaque à la frange violacée. Bouquet expressif de cassis, mure, olive noire, herbes sèches et boîte à cigare. Bouche ample, complexe avec une superbe profondeur. Les tannins sont serré et de qualité. Encore une réussite.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/7/2015 - DSR Likes this wine: 96 Points
Amazing nose of black fruit, a hint of bell pepper and a touch of spice. Medium acidity, tannins prominent even with 3 hours of air, beautiful balance, and loong finish. Really enjoyed this now, but has potential to age for 10-20 years, easy.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/18/2015 - Mascarello59 Likes this wine: 94 Points
In comes the heavyweights. A flight of 5 wines tasted blind and as it turns out the BYOB lot managed to pull out an unexpected trio of Ornellaia, 2011, 2007 and 2010 in a row! All three showed up as full bodied, packed with fruit, young, tannic, dense wines but between themselves they were also very different. No one could imagine they were the same wine in three vintages. The 2011 is dense with opulent aromas of cassis, vanilla, prunes. Grippy tannins, warmth, some tutti-frutti taste. A big muscular wine! Obviously one to hold on to for much longer…Diffcult to rate but given its potential 93-96.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/18/2015 - Lilja wrote: 93 Points
The weirdest thing happened. In a blind, bring-your-own-bottle tasting, 3 out of 9 managed to bring a bottle of Ornellaia. Luckily non were of the same vintage (2011, 2007 and 2010). And even weirder they ended up in a straight row, just by chance, as wine number 5, 6 and 7 in the second flight.
My first thought was Italy, wish I had stayed on that when I gave my blind guess. Had some many ideas about what it could have been I can not even remember my final statement. Probably a south france Cabernet and Tannat blend :)
Complex nose with some cherries, blackberries, liquorice, light herbs, rubber ball, lots of oak and a little vanilla, butterscotch. Medium+ acidity, lots of fruit, young, grippy tannins. High, extraordinary intensity and a long, long finish. This needs time in the cellar, at least 15 years, considering the state of the 2007 that came after.
¤BYOB
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/17/2015 - bboy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Smooth, potential shining through, save for years
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/8/2014 - Vintomas wrote: 94 Points
Mixed wines with Munskänkarna, including some Super Tuscans (Stockholm): Noticeably darker in colour than the 2011 Sassicaia and a bit more compact. A big, powerful and berry-dominated nose with dark plums, blackcurrants, salty liquorice, tar, and noticeable oak with chocolate and coffee. Definitely full-bodied with a massive concentration of berries, mixed dark berries including blackcurrants and blackberries, good acidity, liquorice, noticeable pepper notes, powerful tannins that are made somewhat fresher mid-palate by the acidity, but that really linger on. Other than the tannins, the aftertaste is dominated by dark berries, liquorice and pepper. This wine is young, very modern, and distinctly massive, 94(+) p.
Very similar to a high-end, modern Saint-Émilion in both nose and palate. Although this wine is also highly modern, in my opinion it absorbs its oak treatment better than its little brother 2012 Le Serre Nuove. It is at least half a size bigger than Sassicaia, and actually has a tougher aftertaste.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/8/2014 - Mad Dog Mikey wrote: 95 Points
My 'Ornellaia virginity' is gone. Yes, i can see what the fuss was all about.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/19/2014 - Biggsy wrote: 92 Points
Tarry, inky nose with a creamy vanilla aromas. Nice savoury character on the entry but then a wall of dense dark spicy tannins. The fruits is there with a really lovely blackcurrant leaf character but needs so much time to unfurl. Dense, rich and expensively made. Needs so, so much time.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/13/2014 - SineQuaNon Likes this wine: 95 Points
Modern, chocolatey, oaky, malo-milk, toasty, Napa-ish and international but I loved it :-D
(ever so slightly less impressive the the 2010 it was paired with but a style very similar to)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/12/2014 - smahk wrote: 94 Points
Color: deep garnet
Nose: wet stones, plums, leather, lavender
Taste: plum, currant, vanilla, coffee and minerals.
This wine is very, very young. Infanticide opening this, but we were at a tasting at Ornellaia. At first, it was tough to get beyond the gripping tannins, but then as it opened up, flavors started emerging. This does seem elegant, not a brute.
Ornellaia usually takes 10 years minimum to be ready to drink, winery suggests this year, named "infinity" has at least 20 years for peak, and don't touch for 6-7 at a minimum
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/12/2014 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine: 94 Points
Carpe Vino!; 11/9/2014-11/15/2014 (Tuscany (Florence, Montalcino, Siena)): 51% Cabernet, 32% Merlot, 12% Petit Verdot/Cab Franc. This wine is much stronger and much more structured than the rest of the Ornellaia portfolio. As per usual I get the sense that more so even than some of the other SuperTuscans this is just infanticide. Maybe it'll be ready in 25 years? It's a lot of tannin, but poking through there's some nice red currant and some lovely spicy characteristics. We had an '97 a few months ago and it was just singing (albeit still pretty young tasting). Will be great though when it all comes together.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/7/2014 - Yagil wrote: 93 Points
Tenuta dell'Ornellaia visit (Tenuta dell'Ornellaia, Bolgheri): dark opaque red-purple, quality fruity earthy aromas & flavours, rich fruity, tight, firm tannins, complex, ttight, young, high future potential. Lingering finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/3/2014 - Wine Canuck wrote: 94 Points
A Tasting of Wines From Italy (Roy Thompson Hall, Toronto, ON): Wow! Gorgeous nose already here. Nose reveals graphite, crushed rocks, mineral, herbs, medium roast coffee, pure sweet cassis, dark cherry and plummy notes. Really quite an excellent wine poised to age beautifully. Palate has lots of sweet fruit but also quite high herb and graphite tinged tannins. All the sweet fruit of a right bank Bordeaux with the herbal structure of the left bank. Good acid levels as well. Just a bit of alcohol pokes through on the palate.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/27/2014 - Ralph_ wrote: 94 Points
From a magnum at a Ornellaia tasting. 1985-2011 all from Magnum
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/11/2014 - Burgundy Al wrote: 94 Points
Dinner with Friends (Jen and Phil's - Chicago IL): Open many hours before serving, which I think really helped. Sweetly floral with crushed black berries throughout, nicely spice with anise and allspice along with vanilla and cedar. Very fine and elegant tannins.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/30/2014 - Double-A wrote: 90 Points
Concentrated, black currant, raisin, mineral and char nose. Big concentration with warm to hot alcohol and firm, ripe tannins; solid dark fruit flavours lead to a toasted finish. More extraction than complexity, this vintage could take some time to show its best.
4/5
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/2/2014 - rossi.wine wrote: 96 Points
Compared to 2011 Sassicaia this is much more expressive, with riper fruit on the nose. Richer, fuller. Great grip and texture, quite firm and tight, fantastic length. Superb. 95-96+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/4/2014 - Lyubomir Lefterov Likes this wine: 94 Points
A little close at first, when it opens it comes with absolutely delicious and defined fruit aromas of blueberry, red currant, blackberry. Charming with nicely configured tannins, will be getting better and better.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/23/2014 - RebeccaDeVaney Likes this wine: 94 Points
The 2011 Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore offers an anything but ordinary complexity worthy of making other producers weep with envy. Containing the fruit and oak notes one might expect from a Tuscan blend, you will enjoy the added elements of animal skin, fall leaves and anise. Do not expect a premature finish from this full-bodied masterpiece. It’s atypically angular attributes leave a lasting impression on the palate.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/1/2014 - cephomer Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank once again at NYC Wine Spectator event and my notes are entirely consistent with my last tasting of this wine last month. A fantastic, well-crafted wine drinking wonderfully right now, but will improve dramatically with bottle age.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/18/2014 - The years of the grape wrote: 93 Points
Quite different character from the 2010. 2011 was a hot year in Bolgheri and picking too was early.
And in fact the it shows definitively bigger and plumper than the previous vintage, with plenty of black plum, cherry, sweet spices. There are also hints of balsam and some toastiness, but the oak is not too powerful. Acid is above average, tannins are silky and well integrated, body is full and in general the wine weighs nicely on your mouth. In the aftertaste you also perceive a very pleasant and delicate vanilla nuance.
Probably it has less aging potential than the 2010, but at this stage it is readier and more pleasant to drink.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/31/2014 - isbjoern wrote: 94 Points
Vinorama Classic Event 2014: Unquestionably a very fine wine with fantastic depth and sheer elegance. This still has a lot of oak to shed and tannins to integrate but you can already taste there is excellent fruit in here and only the finest oak has been used. Very skillfull winemaking. A ripe but fresh fruit, coffee flavors, vegetal tobacco notes and smoke, some sweet vanilla and plenty of ripe and silky tannins. The tannins are really soft and this is surprisingly approachable already. Great future ahead though. No surprise, this will need some years in the cellar. - 94+ points
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/29/2014 - Yagil wrote: 93 Points
great nose & palate
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/26/2014 - cephomer Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank at a private tasting in NYC hosted by the winemaker & US importer in NYC to introduce this newest vintage. Fairly dark color, though it was dark in Armani's so it was hard to see the wine well. I didn't pull much from the nose other than perhaps some dark fruit, leather or tar. Medium bodied wine, and very tannic--as expected. (Per its winemaker, this is the most tannic version he's produced since he took over operations in 2005). I've been to several introductory tastings of this wine's latest vintages over the past 5 years or so and have always come away thinking the wine was way too young & tannic to appreciate so young. This is the first vintage that I found fairly well approachable at this event. Definitely a baby, but I initially found the tannins to be quite soft and silky, with the fruit nicely integrated with the various complex elements that comprise this beauty. I would have thought this to be a youngish right bank bordeaux. As the wine sat in glass, I noticed it developing more of the grippy, austere character that I've come to expect from this wine in its infant stage. Lots of wood here but the juice is so concentrated that it's not particularly noticeable nor does it interfere in any way with one's enjoyment of the wine. (We had a great comparison as Le Serre Nouve 2007--the winemaker's 2nd label--was also served and there the wood was overpowering, & the wine sweet & loaded with vanilla; not my cup of tea. The winemaker pointed out that each wine had equivalent contact with French oak but the O's fruit was at such a concentrated level that it simply absorbed the wood & all the great stuff that comes along with it such that, even in its infancy, the wine's various elements are already extremely well-integrated making for a wonderful, neat package). Overall, a fabulous wine with a very bright, and long future ahead. I look forward to drinking it again in the next 5-10 years when my score will likely be even higher.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment