The spring will be remembered as one of the wettest in history, with three times the seasonal average rainfall and high temperatures in April. Vintage InformationĪfter several years in which winter seemed to be little more than a memory, 2018 brought a return to normal climatic conditions, with temperatures spending enough time below zero for the vines to begin their well-deserved winter rest. After bottling, the wine aged a further 12 months prior to release. After the first 12 months of maturation, the wine was assembled and then returned to the barriques for an additional 6 months. The wine then remained in barriques, in Ornellaia’s temperature-controlled cellars for about 18 months. The malolactic fermentation took place mainly in oak barrels, 70% new and 30% once used. Fermentation took place in stainless steel and concrete tanks at temperatures between 26 and 30☌ for one week, followed by maceration for about 15 days, for a total time in the vat of about three weeks. Each grape variety and single vineyard block were vinified separately. In 2016, optical sorting has been introduced in addition to manual selection, in order to further increase the quality of selection. The clusters were hand-picked into 15 kg crates and then selected by hand on a double sorting table, before and after destemming, and finally softly crushed. The 115ha of vineyards benefit from a unique combination of maritime climate and a complex mosaic of marine, alluvial and volcanic soils – creating a distinct environment where red and white varieties can best express themselves. Ornellaia believes that a wine should be the most authentic expression of the terroir from which it originates. During the summer months, the cool sea breeze caresses the vineyards and nearby olive groves, while during the winter the hills provide protection from the cold north winds. Nestled in the foothills near Bolgheri, Ornellaia lies just a few kilometres from the Mediterranean coast. Founded in 1981, Ornellaia has helped establishing this relatively young viticultural area and it is now regarded as one of the world’s most iconic estates.
Since its inception, Ornellaia’s production has been influenced and inspired by the Mediterranean character of the coast near Bolgheri.
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