Ornellaia

  

Le Serre Nuove

 

2004

Serre Nuove is the estate’s second wine. It is made from barrels that are culled out of the selection process for Ornellaia with most of the fruit coming from the estate’s younger vines. The 2004 Serre Nuove offers beautiful harmony in its ripe fruit, outstanding length and fine tannins. It is a great example of the level of quality achieved by the second wines in this vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2014. 91 points, Wine Advocate # 169 Feb 2007

Gorgeous aromas of currant and coffee, with hints of chocolate. Full-bodied, with fine tannins and a lovely finish. Wonderfully balanced. Wow. The second wine of Ornellaia. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best after 2008. 92 points, The Wine Spectator

2003

Extremely attractive aromas of dark chocolate, sage and currants follow through to a full-bodied palate, with soft, silky tannins and a long finish. Nicely crafted. Very well done for the vintage. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best after 2005. 90 points, The Wine Spectator

Dark ruby. Ripe, concentrated, vibrant aromas of red cherry, blackberry, milk chocolate, leather and spicy oak. Sweet and lush, with ripe yet elegant red fruit and spice flavors complicated by a delicately smoky nuance. A highly enjoyable and accessible wine with seamless tannins and a fairly long finish. 89 points, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar Sept/ Oct 2006

2002

 The 2002 Serre Nuove is a new wine, created as the equivalent of the deuxieme vin of a Bordeaux estate, and it shows the character of a damp vintage in the slightly leafy character of the aromas and flavors. But there is attractive berry fruit and a softness and roundness which compensates for the lack of the usual sweetness and ripeness. The wine has evolved rather fast, however, and I suspect that little will be gained by further cellaring. 86 points, Wine Advocate # 164 Apr 2006

2001

Fantastic. Serious aromas of blackberry, smoke and fresh herb. Medium- to full-bodied, with well-integrated tannins and a subtle, refined finish. Shows promise. The second wine of Ornellaia. Best after 2005. 90 points, The Wine Spectator, October 2003

The 2001 Le Serre Nuove, effectively Ornellaia’s deuxieme vin, a full ruby, offers lightly peppery and herbaceous aromas along with its black berry fruit, a firm texture, and volume and roundness. Drink: 2005-2015. Ornellaia has been through some significant changes over the past several years. First with the departure of Lodovico Antinori and the arrival of the new owners, Mondavi and Frescobaldi, then with a double changeover of winemakers, first Andrea Giovannini (now at Monsanto) from 1999 to 2001, then Thomas Duroux, trained at Bordeaux and then the oenologist for the unsuccessful Mondavi Languedoc project. High quality, however, has been a constant – these have been Bolgheri’s best wines, along with those of Le Macchiole, over the past five years, and there is no indication of any change in the level of ambition. 88 points Wine Advocate # 152 Apr 2004

2000

Sweet black cherry and berry fruit, spicy oak, earth, and licorice dominate the 2000 Le Serre Nuove's moderately intense aromatics. Medium-bodied, clean, and straightforward, with light tannin in the finish, it should be consumed over the next 4-5 years. 87 points, Wine Advocate # 144 Dec 2002

Rich and aromatic, with pruny ripe fruit and fresh herb, spice and mineral notes. Medium- to full-bodied, with firm, fine tannins and a medium to long finish. Very extracted, but should come around in time. Second wine of Ornellaia. Best after 2004. 89 points, The Wine Spectator, October 2002

(80% cabernet sauvignon and 20% merlot) Very dark ruby. Lovely aromas of woodland berries. Very sweet and full in the mouth, showing sappy raspberry fruit with nuances of mint and spicy oak. Finishes with a rush of redcurrant jam, with the smooth tannins of this mellifluous wine enveloping the palate. Very fresh and engaging. 90 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, Jul/Aug 03

Very deep, dark purplish crimson. Nose still young and muted but deeply nuanced. Polished, some oak. Still very chewy end but promising. Slightly dry on the finish for the moment but very flattering. Drink 2005-2010 16.5 points jancisrobinson.com, March 2002

1999

Youthful crimson with only medium intensity of colour, surprisingly pale relative to the more intense-looking 1998. Prunes on the nose. An intriguing wine packed with ripe fruit and with hints of sottobosco, or undergrowth. The outstanding feature of this wine is its texture which is round and supple. This is not massive, nor dramatically persistent, but elegant and winning - and quite an early developer. Drink now-2005 17 points , jancisrobinson.com, March 2002

1998

This gorgeous red is the second wine of Ornellaia. Gorgeous perfumes of currants, berries and cherries, with hints of Indian spices. Very subtle. Full-bodied and very velvety, with lots of berry fruit, fresh mushroom and a meaty sage aftertaste. Wonderfully polished tannins. Not imported into the U.S. Best after 2003. 91 points, The Wine Spectator, January 2001

Slightly paler and less obviously aromatic than the 1997. Skinnier, more pointu, presumably made to much higher yields than the 1997. Some of the tannins taste slightly underripe. Drier and less knit than the glamorous 1997. Drink 2005-2008 16 points, jancisrobinson.com, March 2002

1997

Plenty of plum, berry and herb character in this young red. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins and a fruity, minty aftertaste. Tightly knit. The new second wine for Ornellaia. 88 points, The Wine Spectator

Dark ruby. Berry fruit on the nose along with proportionate oak and notes of tar and licorice. Reasonably concentrated cassis flavor shows an enticing sweetness and a well-defined Bordeaux character. Finishes with soft tannins and a slight loss of power and fullness, but still silky and stylish. The new "second wine" of the house and a good debut. 86 points, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, July/Aug 00

Anyone who bought this was very clever indeed. This was the first, smallish vintage from most of the vineyards which supply this wine and, as is so often the case, provided superior, super-concentrated fruit. Bright crimson with some evolution at the rim. Fresh, crisp, appetising nose. Definitely ripe and very attractive. Carefully balanced, silky, satiny palate. Extremely seductive texture. Still slightly inky finish but extremely impressive. Very slight hint of rusty nails at the end. Drink 2003-2008 17.5 points, jancisrobinson.com, March 2002