2011 Tenuta Dell'Ornellaia Ornellaia L'Infinito

Tenuta Dell’Ornellaia was founded by Lodovico Antinori in 1981 in Bolgheri, on the Tuscan coast. Antinori, who comes from the legendary Antinori winemaking family of Florence, wanted to make a Super Tuscan of extraordinary quality. He succeeded with his two premier wines, Ornellaia and Masseto. The Masseto is nearly 100% Merlot and Ornellaia is a more typical Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Tenuta Dell’Ornellaia was bought by Robert Mondavi Corp. in 2001, and the Mondavi Corp. was then bought by Constellation Brands. Since then the Frescobaldi winemaking family of Florence has been trying to acquire controlling interest in the winery. Tenuta Dell’Ornellaia owns 160 acres of vineyards planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The average age of the vines is 20 to 25 years. Annual production of Ornellaia is 8,000 – 12,500 cases. Annual production of Masseto is 2,000 to 2,400 cases.

Bolgheri is a tiny village just inland from the western Tuscan coast with a storybook renaissance castle but no train station. To wine enthusiasts, however, Bolgheri DOC is perhaps Italy’s most exciting wine appellation. It is the cultural heart of the Maremma, the coastal stretch of Tuscany where some of the first Super Tuscans were produced commercially in the late 1960s. Various members of the legendary Antinori wine dynasty and other influential producers established estates in Bolgheri starting in the 1970s, creating such Super Tuscans as Guado Al Tasso and Ornellaia. Bolgheri was awarded DOC status in 1983. Red, white and dessert wines are made in this appellations, and many of the most renowned are the Super Tuscans made from blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese and other red varietals. The white wines are blends of Vermentino and Trebbiano. The reds are notable for being blends that have a distinctive Tuscan terroir.