2012 Ornellaia
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Tasting notes
Tawny rose in colour, just the beginning of tertiary notes, freshly cured leather and tobacco, Tuscan dried herbs, campfire smoke, rosemary, cocoa bean, cherry pit and incense. Harvest in 2012 was two weeks earlier than average after a hot vintage. 70% new oak for ageing. Axel Heinz director.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The 2012 Ornellaia was perhaps a little overawed by the mature Solaia and Sassicaia in the flight. Pretty backward and unresponsive on the nose, I find this a bit simplistic by comparison, with blackberry and bilberry aromas and a touch of VA. The palate is medium-bodied with dense tannins, muscular at the moment, moody and surly towards its grippy finish. I wanted to shout, “Lighten up, man!” Maybe it is going through a dumb phase?
Big, sweet and appealing with tea leaf aromas and lift. Opulent, sweet-fruited and velvety-textured. (JR)
The 2012 Ornellaia has put on quite a bit of weight since I first tasted it from bottle a few months ago. Rich, powerful and concentrated, the 2012 offers plenty of depth and intensity, with expressive fruit and striking mid-palate intensity. Dark red cherry jam, wild flowers, licorice, smoke, tobacco and mint blossom in the glass. There is a very slight element of dryness in the tannin that is the signature of a year in which ripening took place in fits and starts. It will be interesting to see if that note softens over time.
About the producer
Based in the foothills of Bolgheri, Ornellaia is one of the original Super Tuscans, making some of Italy’s finest Cabernet blends. Created by Lodovico Antinori, today the estate is owned by the Frescobaldi family, which also owns sibling property Masseto.