2020 Le Volte
Market price
Buying options
Tasting notes
The 2020 Le Volte dell'Ornellaia is fresh and floral with red flowers, crushed rock, and red and black fruit as well as cherry pie and cinnamon. With a large proportion of Merlot, and aged in concrete and used barrels, it is full bodied but lifted and bright, with poppy red and black fruit, red plum, dusty earth, and fresh herbs that offer a pleasant touch of amaro. It is a fresh and spritely red for drinking over the next 5-7 years. Founded in 1981 by Marchesi Lodovico Antinori, since 2005 the ownership of Ornellaia has been entirely with the Frescobaldi family of wine estates. The famed oenologist Michel Rolland has been an instrumental consultant since 1991 and remains so to this day. Axel Heinz, who was brought on as winemaker in 2005, is now the Estate Director, and Olga Fusari, who started as an intern in 2005, has now taken the lead as winemaker. In the winery, they work entirely with medium toast French oak, hoping not to impact the aromatic profile of the wines too much. The Serre Nuove, which was established in 1997, originally served as an outlet for the younger vines of the estate, but today it has evolved, with its own full expression and style, as a wine to drink more immediately than the flagship label. As for the Ornellaia, they believe these are wines that really begin to show their best after ten years of maturation.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2020 Le Volte dell’Ornellaia is a bright, vibrant red to drink now and over the next handful of years. Sweet red cherry, mint, cedar, tobacco and peppery notes lend energy. There’s terrific aromatic complexity to play off the rich, deep fruit. The 2020 is a terrific Le Volte. One of the recent evolutions here is a focus on Merlot rather than Sangiovese, as it was in the early days. I would give this a few months in bottle, as the tannins are a bit rustic in the early going. (Originally Published in March 2022)
A blend of Merlot, Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon, the Ornellaia 2020 Le Volte dell'Ornellaia shows medium darkness and texture followed by a very primary and fruit-forward bouquet. There is a generous display of cherry, cassis and wild plum. On second nose, this easy and straightforward Tuscan blend reveals hints of spice, cardamon and polished river stone. In a hot vintage like this, the wine comes together nicely and rather effortlessly.
The 2020 Le Volte dell’Ornellaia is a bright, vibrant red to drink now and over the next handful of years. Sweet red cherry, mint, cedar, tobacco and peppery notes lend energy. There’s terrific aromatic complexity to play off the rich, deep fruit. The 2020 is a terrific Le Volte. One of the recent evolutions here is a focus on Merlot rather than Sangiovese, as it was in the early days. I would give this a few months in bottle, as the tannins are a bit rustic in the early going.
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.