TENUTA DELL'ORNELLAIA

Getting its name from the grove of flowering ash trees surrounding the winery, Tenuta dell’Ornellaia came to Bolgheri in 1981, making it a relative upstart in Toscana in specific and the world of Italian wine in general. Although founded by the Marchese Lodovico Antinori, who was nephew of Sassicaia’s maker and brother to Piero Antinori, Tenuta dell’Ornellaia has been owned by the Frescobaldi group for almost two decades.

The estate’s 244 acres of vineyards lie on elevated parcels composed of clay, gravel, and loam, offering terrific terroir for its world-class Super-Tuscan bottling. Ornellaia has earned a reputation for consistent excellence, a feat aided by the estate’s vineyards and guided by the hands of renowned winemaker Axel Heinz. Parent company of the iconic mono-varietal Merlot Masseto, which now is its own discrete entity, Tenuta dell’Ornellaia crafts a range of wines, including its namesake flagship wine, Ornellaia; its second label, Le Serre Nuove; and its exceptional accessible gem, Le Volte.

With the help of Andre Tchelistcheff, the famous agronomist, Antinori planted the first French vines in Bolgheri, which lies in the heart of Tuscany’s coastal region, Maremma. The estate yields some of the finest Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc in Tuscany. In 2002, Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi and Robert Mondavi became owners of Tenuta dell’Ornellaia, which is now owned exclusively by Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi.