Made with the same passion and attention to detail we dedicate to Ornellaia, Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia is a real second vin. A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot which combines immediate pleasantness and taste-olfactory complexity with a proven ageing potential.
WINEMAKER’S TASTING NOTES
44% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 13% Petit Verdot
Alc. : 14,5 % vol.
“Deep ruby red colour, with purple highlights, Le Serre Nuove dell'Ornellaia 2020 clearly reveals an evident and generous aromatic expression, characterised by scents of ripe red fruit. The wine is smooth, rounded and enveloping, but full-bodied and substantial at the same time, showing great balance between structure, fullness and elegance.”
Olga Fusari - Winemaker - April 2022
THE 2020 GROWING SEASON
After a mild and rainy winter, there was a temporary drop in temperatures in March with a few nights below 0°C at the very start of the budding in the last week of the month. Fortunately, the newly opened shoots were still protected by the cottony tissue of the bud and were not damaged by the frost. The rest of spring had generally warm weather with normal rainfall that ensured regular growth until flowering, which took place on average between 20 and 25 May. There was an intense rainy period in the middle of June, followed by a very long dry period with a virtual absence of rain and torrid temperatures until the end of August. The véraison was even and quick between 20 and 25 July, with the grapes beginning to ripen under a blazing sun.
Rains arrived at the end of August, resulting in a significant drop in temperatures, falling as low as 13°C at night, and creating the ideal conditions for completing the ripening of the Merlot grapes. They were harvested in just two weeks to preserve maximum freshness and fruitiness, just in time to avoid a sudden week-long heatwave during
which the thermometer registered temperatures of up to 37 degrees, sending sugar content soaring for all the varieties still to be harvested. This led us to begin harvesting Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon from young vines as early as 17 September.
Towards the end of September, a passing burst of rain finally brought the climatic conditions back to normal, and the water absorbed by the grapes lowered the alcohol content to normal values, allowing us to complete the Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot harvest on 3 October.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 93 points
The Ornellaia 2020 Bolgheri Rosso Le Serre Nuove dell'Ornellaia (a proprietary blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot) is a generous and darkly toned red blend that has the extra fruit fiber, sweetness and generous plumpness of a warm vintage. The fullness of the fruit is on full display, but in a very relaxed and natural manner. The wine never feels like too much. The tannins are yielding and velvety, and this purebred Tuscan red wraps thickly over the palate. It's poised for near- and medium-term drinking.
James Suckling 93 points
Currants and bark with some cinnamon and flowers. Round and velvety with spice and chocolate as well as walnuts. Long and flavorful. 44% merlot, 30% cabernet sauvignon, 13% petit verdot, and 13% cabernet franc. Needs two or three years to come around.
Wine Enthusiast 93 points
The nose starts off leathery and smoky, then turns herbaceous and salty, before finishing sweet with berries, plums and roses. The palate runs with the sweetness, but salty and stony undertones provide balance, along with a kick of chili and cinnamon. Fierce tannins clash beautifully with a velvety texture.
