Ornellaia is one of Italy’s great Bordeaux blends. It came into being in the 1980s, when Lodovico Antinori began buying up land and planting vines in Bolgheri. He cultivated Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, and released the first vintage of Ornellaia in 1985. Together with its neighbour, predecessor, rival (and inspiration?) Sassicaia, Ornellaia defined the category of SuperTuscan, and brought Bolgheri from nowhere to be regarded as among Italy’s premier wine regions. Alongside Ornellaia, in 1987 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia launched Masseto, a pure Merlot wine, which has become if anything even more successful than Ornellaia.

Mounting financial pressures obliged Antinori to sell Tenuta dell’Ornellaia to Robert Mondavi in 2001. Mondavi brought the Frescobaldi family on board to have Italian boots on the ground, and when Mondavi had its own problems a few years later, Frescobaldi acquired Tenuta dell’Ornellaia wholesale. Since then, the estate has flourished. The Frescobaldis constructed an entirely separate winery for Masseto, which also allowed Ornellaia more space, and brought in Axel Heinz as estate director. After an extremely successful tenure from 2006 to 2023, Heinz left (to go to Chateau Lascombes) and has been replaced by Marco Balsimelli.

Ornellaia is typically 50-60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20-25% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc. There is a second wine, Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia, which is made from younger vines and has a higher proportion of Merlot, and a third wine, Le Volte dell’Ornellaia, which blends Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese. There are some white grapes planted on the cooler corners of the estate, and small amounts of Ornellaia Bianco are produced from Sauvignon Blanc blended with Viognier.

Recent vintages at Ornellaia have seen an increased focus on canopy management, as the first line of a winemaker’s defence against global warming, and the introduction of amphorae in the cellar. About 10% of the blend is now vinified in amphorae, with the goal being more freshness, minerality and vivid fruit. (NT 22/10/25)