Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot
75cl * 15.0% ABV * Tuscany, Italy
Founded in 1981, Ornellaia has helped establish the relatively young viticultural area of Bolgheri and it is now regarded as one of the world’s most iconic estates. "La Generosita" is the word chosen by the estate to describe the character of the 2021 vintage. Marco Balsimelli, Estate Director at Ornellaia, notes the 2021 vintage is "a very expressive and complex wine, with all the hallmarks of one of the great vintages from Ornellaia."
Lamberto Frescobaldi, President of Marchesi Frescobaldi and co-owner of Ornellaia, comments: "Our identity is based on place, on work and on being a team. The character of the 2021 was created thanks to the generosity of the terroir, but the artist's interpretation revealed another meaning: the generosity of the land creates an ecosystem, and we are all part of it." Artist Marinella Senatore was invited to interpret the character of the 2021 vintage for the Vendemmia d’Artista project. One “La Generosità” artistic label can be found in every case containing six 750ml bottles of Ornellaia 2021.
The 2021 is still young but has plenty of potential to evolve over the years. When tasted recently it was full of blue fruits and blackcurrants, hints of mint and bay leaf but also a delicate hint of the pyrazines you get with the Cabernets, giving a lovey herbaceous note to this wine. The balance was exact, the acidity was bright and the tannins were smooth and silky. A truly brilliantly constructed wine and it is with anticipation that we look to the future as to what this wine can become after some delicate cellaring. But even now, young, it was sensational.
Serving temperature 16°-18°C.
Drinking window: 2027 - 2050
"Ornellaia 2021 displays the characteristics of a typical vintage in Bolgheri, with not a few sunny spells and devoid of rain, crafting a rich and concentrated wine that is also deeply expressive and generous. Signature notes of Mediterranean shrub, herbs, cypress berries, classic blackberry and dark fruit aromas unfurl on the nose, accompanying a palate endowed with dense tannins but certainly not lacking in precision and finesse. The finish is vibrant and enduring, bringing a feeling of aromatic freshness and elegance." Winemaker's notes
"The 2021 Ornellaia captures all the magic of this sensational vintage on the Tuscan Coast. Rich, ample and expansive, with tremendous polish, the 2021 is pure class. Dark-toned fruit, mocha, espresso, licorice, plum and dried herbs abound. The tannins are present but also beautifully integrated, as is the French oak. There was a time not too long ago when young wines here needed years in bottle to drink well. That's not at all the case with the 2021. The blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 7% Petit Verdot works so well. New oak was 70%." 99/100 Points – Antoino Galloni (Feb 2024)
"The Ornellaia 2021 Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia offers an extra layer of richness, generosity and plushness that shapes a very open-knit and exuberant Tuscan red. The blend is 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 7% Petit Verdot. You feel the fruit and oak weight of the wine, the extract and the 15% alcohol content. All of these elements come together to big effect. From that power, you get black cherry, dark fruit, sweet spice and barbecue smoke. The fruit tannins are young, and this edition of Ornellaia proves worthy for medium or long-term drinking, especially as it softens up with more bottle age." 96/100 Points, Monica Larner