Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Bolgheri DOC Rosso Le Serre Nuove 2018
- Vintage
- 2018
- Country
- Italy
- Region
- Tuscany
- Size
- 750ml
- Grapes
- Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon
- Rating
- JS95, VAG93, WA93, WS90
The aromas of currants, tobacco, chocolate and mushrooms are very attractive here. It’s full-bodied with juicy tannins and a flavorful, round-textured finish. Gorgeous wine and very approachable now, but better in 2023. - JS95
The 2018 Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia is everything a second wine should be. Open-knit and silky, with impeccable balance and tons of sheer appeal, the 2018 is exquisite today. I would prefer to drink it on the early side in order to capture all of its freshness. In some vintages, Le Serre Nuove can be a bit imposing; in 2018 is all charm and seduction. Drinking window: 2022 - 2033 - VAG93
The 2018 Bolgheri Rosso Le Serre Nuove dell'Ornellaia is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that is aged in oak for 15 months. The wine shows depth, concentration and generous fruit weight that adds to the intensity and the textural importance of this abundant, full-bodied expression. Late-season rains threw some challenges at the winemakers of Bolgheri, but this open-knit wine has emerged unscathed. This vintage was released in September of last year, but I have also written a review in this report of the younger 2019 vintage (which will be released in September of this year). - WA93
Rich and packed with black cherry, blackberry and plum flavors shaded by wild Mediterranean herbs and baking spices. It's polished, yet dense, the tannins lining the lingering finish like cocoa powder. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. - WS90
Characterized by a lively ruby red colour, Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia 2018 is a wine of great aromatic complexity, a distinctive feature of this vintage. In the glass, aromas of berries, blackberry, raspberry and red cherry are accompanied by floral hints of wild rose and spicy notes of pink pepper and liquorice. On tasting, the wine has a good tannic structure, enveloping and balanced, with a crisp and savoury finish. - Olga Fusari-Winemaker's Notes
Tenuta dell'Ornellaia is one of the foremost producers in the Bolgheri appellation on the coast of Tuscany, particularly known for making one of Italy's most famous and expensive wines, Ornellaia. This Bordeaux-style blend is one of the original 'Super Tuscans', and is made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with smaller amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, instead of Tuscany's most famous variety, Sangiovese.
The vineyard, which neighbors Sassacaia in Tuscany's coastal Maremma region, enjoys gentle sea breezes which mitigate the summer heat, and is sheltered by neighboring hills from cold winter winds. The soils are a complex mix of alluvial, volcanic and marine elements, providing a good base for the Bordeaux varieties which are planted here. After hand picking and careful selection – firstly by bunch and secondly grape by grape – each variety and each vineyard block is vinified separately in stainless steel tanks. Ornellaia is aged for around 18 months in oak, 70 percent of which is new. Grapes which do not make the cut for the top wine are redirected to Le Serre Nuove, which usually has more Merlot, and less time in oak.
The Tenuta dell'Ornellaia portfolio also includes the second wine Le Volte, a blend of Merlot, Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon, Poggio alla Gazze, a Sauvignon Blanc-based white and Ornus, a late harvest Petit Manseng. Tenuta dell'Ornellaia also owns Masseto, a single-vineyard Merlot with its own winery and an even higher price tag.
The company was founded in 1981 by Marchese Ludovico Antinori, with the first vintage in 1985. From 2002 to 2005 the estate was co-owned by Robert Mondavi and Marchesi di Frescobaldi, but since 2005 Frescobaldi has owned it outright. Michel Rolland has been engaged as consultant winemaker since 1991. – Information from Wine Searchers