ORNELLAIA 2012
Ornellaia is located in the Bolgheri appellation, in Tuscany, Italy. The company was founded in 1981 by Marchese Lodovico Antinori, with the first vintage in 1985. From 2002 to 2005 the estate was co-owned by Robert Mondavi and Marchesi De Frescobaldi but, since 2005 Frescobaldi has owned it outright. At Ornellaia, the concept of environmental sustainability, understood as the use of the soil’s natural fertility, can be identified in various practices and limited measures implemented in the vineyards, with the aim of promoting the biodiversity of the species cultivated.
Ornellaia 2012 is a Super-Tuscan blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (45%), Merlot (38%), Cabernet Franc (10%) and Petit Verdot (7%). The clusters were hand-picked into 15-kg boxes and then selected by hand on a double sorting table, before and after destemming, and finally softly crushed. Each grape variety and single vineyard block was vinified separately. Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks at temperatures between 26-30°C for two week, followed by 10-15 days of maceration on the skins. The malolactic fermentation took place mainly in oak barrels (70% new and 30% once-used). The wine then remained in barriques, in Ornellaia’s temperature-controlled cellars for about 18 months. After the first 12 months of maturation, the wine was assembled and then returned to the barriques for an additional 6 months. After bottling, the wine aged a further 12 months prior to release. For Tuscany, the 2012 vintage was good, it is ready to drink now.
Grape varieties: 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot
