With a reputation that has migrated from the Italian Mediterranean coast to take its place on the international stage, Ornellaia stands out today as an iconic Frescobaldi family estate and one of the greatest Italian names in wine. Founded in 1981, the Tenuta dell'Ornellaia was the brainchild of Marchese Lodovico Antinori who decided to plant Bordeaux vines in the Bolgheri region.
In 1999, the world famous Californian wine producer Robert Mondavi became part of the Tuscan adventure. In 2002, he shared the management of the estate with the Frescobaldi group, which has been fully in charge of Ornellaia since. It is from this point that Ornellaia truly received recognition, when this icon of Italian vineyards for over seven centuries contributed its vast know-how and resources to the estate. In carrying out major renovations, the Frescobaldi group breathed a distinctly innovative spirit into the house while making the search for excellence the raison d'être for the ultra-modern premises.
In the space of a few decades, through the unique talent of estate director Axel Heinz and consulting oenologist Michel Rolland, the house has grown the reputation of its great wines throughout the world while reinterpreting the finesse of Italian wines in the light of a unique terroir.
The Ornellaia vineyard is a hidden Tuscan treasure, tucked away at the foot of the hills near Bolgheri, just a few kilometres from the Mediterranean coast of Italy. The vines and olive groves of the region breathe in the sea spray during the summer and are sheltered from the cold northerly winds during the winter. On the seven plots of Bellaria Alta, Bellaria, Fontina, Sondraie, Bolgherese, Ornellaia Fornace and Ferruggini, the soils vary between sand, silt and limestone to form a unique mosaic of terroirs. Ornellaia embodies the richness of a terroir where each grape variety and colour can find its ideal home in lands with marine, alluvial and volcanic influences.
The prestigious Italian estate produces its wines with the idea that they must genuinely reflect the grandeur of their terroir. Thus, from the vine to the cellars, the grapes receive the most sympathetic of ears. This desire for excellence drives Tenuta dell'Ornellaia to nourish its vines with unparalleled attention and precision. The result is wines imbued with the finest expression of elegance.
