I always wonder how it feels for the people behind a famous wine like Ornellaia every year just before launching a new vintage. Do they manage to sleep? Do they have a mantra? Do they enjoy it, or are they already thinking about the next vintage? Well, the pressure is on, and expectations are high when it is time to release the new vintage of such a famous wine as Ornellaia. This Bolgheri Rosso DOC is one of the world’s most sought-after wines. Ornellaia is about to launch the 2020 vintage.
“For the first time since the first vintage 1985, we harvested all varieties more or less at the same time”, says estate director Axel Heinz. This is relatively uncommon due to the typically very different ripening moments for the four varieties used: 50% cabernet sauvignon, 32% merlot, 13% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot. A heat wave after picking merlot speeded things up to avoid sugar accumulation in the remaining grape varieties.
Every year since 2006, Ornellaia has promoted a charity project called Vendemmia d’Artista. Each vintage is given a name that an artist interprets by decorating some of the bottles. These are then sold at an auction. For the last five years, Ornellaia’s proceeds from the Sotheby’s auction have been donated exclusively to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum’s innovative “Mind’s Eye” program, which allows blind and low vision people to access art.
“La Proporzione” (The Proportion) is the word chosen by estate director Axel Heinz to represent the 2020 vintage. It transmits the essence of that all grape varieties are in a perfect relationship.
“Sometimes one variety takes the lead, but that was not the case in 2020, with each grape giving a significant contribution. Everyone plays a solid and important role”, he said during the online presentation of the vintage. The American artist Joseph Kosuth, one of conceptual art’s great practitioners, interprets the character of “La Proporzione”. Some of the larger bottles will go under the hammer at Sotheby’s online auction, to be held from the 7th to the 21st September this year.
Tasting note:
Ornellaia Bolgheri DOC Superiore 2020 is expressive, with generous aromas and flavours with ripe black fruit and hints of jam, sweet spice, liquorice, menthol and dark chocolate. It is a powerful and concentrated wine that shows signs of a warm vintage. The talented winery team has done a great job of keeping an elegant balance thanks to a fine acidity that, together with austere and tight tannins (a touch dry on the finish) gives character to the wine. It is well made and will gain finesse with some years in the bottle. Price: around 200 euro.
