Robert Parker (98)
The Ornellaia 2023 Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 7% Petit Verdot, and it is worth noting that Merlot remains present at nearly the same percentage as previous years, despite the greater challenges faced by early-ripening varieties in this mildew-prone vintage. Careful fruit selection made the difference. The wine shows impressive richness and concentration with a bouquet that leans botanical and complex, marked by dark fruit, Mediterranean thyme and rosemary. The nose was slightly closed when I tasted the wine, but it will open. The texture is velvety and polished, delivering beautiful richness with a sense of succulence that feels expansive on the palate. According to proprietor Lamberto Frescobaldi, the goal is to establish a clear through line focused on freshness and balancing fruit and spice while avoiding excess ripeness. This is a meticulously made Ornellaia that captures the vintage with remarkable elegance. The wine was bottled in July 2025 and is scheduled for release in March 2026.
Jancis Robinson (17)
Full bottle 1,318 g. This edition, illustrated by Marina Abramovič, no less, for their artists series, is dubbed La Vitalità for the vitality of the fruit. Newish technical director Marco Balsimelli explains: ‘the mild winter encouraged early vine growth, which was monitored non-stop by our technical team. Then the spring brought abundant precipitation, which on the one hand helped build up water reserves for the summer, while also requiring extra work in the vineyard to keep the growth under control and to prevent any disease. The ensuing summer in Bolgheri was hot, without ever reaching extreme peaks in temperature. There was no water stress among the vines, which ripened gradually with the right levels of concentration. Late August rain and cool September nights favoured the development of aromatic complexity and preserved the acidity in the bunches, ensuring balance between expression and elegance, which is the hallmark of Ornellaia.’ So now you know. The Merlot harvest started in the last week of August, Cabernet Franc in the first week of September and Cabernet Sauvignon on 10 September. Final blend after a cool fermentation was 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 7% Petit Verdot. To be released in April 2026.
Very deep crimson. Very rich and sweet on the nose and then with balsam dryness on the palate. Trademark opulence. So much richer than Sassicaia 2023! Horses for courses. Classicists should head for Sassicaia; hedonists for Ornellaia.(JR)
Vinous (96)
The 2023 Ornellaia is elegant and supremely finessed right out of the gate. Dark cherry, plum, mocha, dried herbs, licorice and lavender all meld together in the glass. There are no hard edges or awkward contours. Readers will find an Ornellaia that speaks to understatement and finesse more than power. This is impressive.
