OrnellaiaL’Incanto

VN94+ Vinous Oct 2015

"The 2012 Ornellaia has put on quite a bit of weight since I first tasted it from bottle a few months ago. Rich, powerful and concentrated, the 2012 offers plenty of depth and intensity, with expressive fruit and striking mid-palate intensity. Dark red cherry jam, wild flowers, licorice, smoke, tobacco and mint blossom in the glass. There is a very slight element of dryness in the tannin that is the signature of a year in which ripening took place in fits and starts. It will be interesting to see if that note softens over time." (94+ pts.)

RP94 Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate 29th Oct 2015

"The 2012 Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia is very similar to the 2011 Ornellaia that precedes it. These were both hot vintages, but 2012 saw the heat towards the end of the growing season. In fact the harvest in 2012 came two weeks earlier than average. This seamless blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (56%), Merlot (27%), Cabernet Franc (10%) and Petit Verdot (7%) shows some of the roundness and softness of that summer heat. The wine’s density and extraction are spot-on and the bouquet is beautifully shaped by dark cherry nuances with spice, leather and tobacco at the back. There is a gorgeous sense of richness and plushness here. Some 160,000 bottles were produced. This edition of Ornellaia is more immediate in character and less suited to the decades-long aging that cooler vintages can affront so successfully." (94 pts.)

SP93 Wine Spectator Feb 29, 2016

"Features complex aromas of dark fruit and spice right out of the gate, with intense flavors of rich black cherry, blueberry and spice. The firm yet fine tannins add support as this builds to a long finish and aftertaste. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Better than previously reviewed. Best from 2018 through 2032. 2,150 cases imported." (93 pts.)