1997 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Ornellaia (750ml)

Vintage: 1997
Format: 750ml
Wine Name: Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Ornellaia
Vineyard:
Designation: Ornellaia
Appellation: Bolgheri Superiore
Producer: Tenuta dell’Ornellaia
Varietal: Red Bordeaux Blend
Type: Red
Country: Italy
Region: Tuscany
Sub-Region: Bolgheri
Alcohol:

Tasting note: The 1997 Ornellaia (magnum) is a big, fat wine endowed with tons of fruit. Mocha, coffee beans and ripe, dark fruit emerge from the glass on a rich, opulent frame. The structural elements are easy to overlook, as the tannins are so juicy and ripe, and the fruit is incredibly intense. Simply put, everything is in the right place. Not surprisingly, 1997 is the year Ornellaia introduced their second wine, Le Serre Nuove, and the extra selection that was carried out to produce this wine has paid off big time. The 1997 is also the first Ornellaia in which Merlot is a full 30% of the blend, while Cabernet Sauvignon is 65% and Cabernet Franc is 5%. It is also the first year in which the percentage of new oak is 50%. In many ways, the 1997 is a wine that signals a move towards the more extroverted style that is common here these days. The 1997 Ornellaia, like many wines from Tuscany that year, is marked by a unique growing season that saw an April frost lower yields dramatically, followed by a hot, dry summer which concentrated the remaining fruit to a levels not seen previously. It remains a magnificent example of this Tuscan classic. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2017. (95pts AG, Wine Advocate)

Tasted: Jan. 2010
Score: 95
Drink: 2009-17

Tasting note: Dark ruby red. Shows intense blackberry, currant, fresh herb and mineral character on the nose. Full-bodied, with ultrafine tannins and a long, caressing finish. Still young and powerful. (95pts. JS, Wine Spectator)

Tasted: 2007
Score: 95
Drink: After 2009

Tasting note: Bright, youthful red-ruby. Very ripe, complex aromas of black fruits, violet, exotic spices, licorice and humus. Then hugely full and sweet in the mouth, but with a faint greenness. Finishes with big, slightly rustic tannins-less fine-grained than usual for this estate. A classic wine from a hot year in which the ripening came in a rush. (91pts. Stephen Tanzer)

Tasted: Oct. 2004
Score: 91
Drink: N/A