2021 Tenuta dell' Ornellaia 'Le Serre Nuove' Bolgheri
The product of a vintage that has proven to be high calibre and deeply satisfying, Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia 2021 allows the tannin qualities and balanced concentration to shine through. The wine displays a bright ruby red with the usual purple highlights in the glass. Refreshing on the nose with pink pepper and cypress berries aromas, which are reminiscent of the Mediterranean shrub. On tasting, the wine is elegant with a lovely acidity and an enduring and savory finish, which entices further enjoyment.
Ornellaia, founded in Bolgheri by Ludovico Antinori in 1981, is a deserving icon of Italian wines. About 80 people work at this 240–acre vineyard and winery year round, and produce one of the world’s greatest Cabernet blends. Quite simply, it’s one of the great wines of Italy. As we’ve gushed a few times before, the following wines exemplify the phrase “come hither.” They have a warmth, charisma, and delicacy to them that you can really only find in Tuscany. The sun of the Bolgheri coast, her complex soils, and the Bordelais varietals create an alchemy in the bottle that beckons you in a way that other Cabernet blends–whether they’re from Bordeaux or California–simply can’t. At least a mixed case or two of these beauties, with uncommon critical consensus, are attractive investments in pleasure!
Jeb Dunnuck
This is one of the great vintages for this cuvée and would be a wine for lovers of Bordeaux. The 2021 Le Serre Nuove Dell'Ornellaia sports a saturated red hue and opens to a great layered and harmonious nose, with aromas of kirsch, leather, fresh Mediterranean herbs, and crushed flowers that all resonate together with wonderful purity and depth. It’s open and generous on the palate, with refined, polished tannins, outstanding length, and refreshing acidity that’s seamlessly woven into the wine. Boy, is this hard to resist now and is a truly stunning wine from recently departed winemaker Olga Fusari. Bravo. Stash as much of this as you can away – it’s one for the ages. A great feather in the cap for Axel Heinz as well, it can only increase anticipation of the house’s top label for next year. Bravo tutti.
Wine Enthusiast
On the nose, hot, meaty, umami aromas hold court, but dark fruit and a sanguine, tangy metallic component prevent those notes of smoke, pepper and tar from becoming overpowering. Undertones of vanilla and chocolate lift the fruit on the palate, but unyielding tannins and energetic acid ensure the spicy earthiness endures.