Ornellaia

Italy | Tuscany, Bolgheri

Sustainable Farming

This prestigious winery was founded by Lodovico Antinori, a man of some pedigree in Tuscany and his aunt (wife to Marchese Mario, the man who at Sassicaia was responsible for beginning the Super-Tuscan movement). He began as a winemaker in California, but returned to his native homeland in 1981.

Having inherited a plot of marshy Maremma coastland from his mother, Antinori began creating his wines in the Super-Tuscan mould, eschewing native varieties like Sangiovese for those more typical of Bordeaux. He cultivated Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc and released the first vintage of his flagship wine, Ornellaia, in 1985. The Merlot was planted as an experiment and in an effort to differentiate his estate from Sassicaia, the original Super-Tuscan where Lodovico Antinori’s brother Piero was a highly successful consultant.

The combination of Bolgheri’s unique soils and growing conditions, and what can only be characterized as a total obsession with excellence, resulted in the world-class wines that so many wine lovers across the world have come to cherish. In addition to its place among Italy’s iconic wines, Ornellaia is also an ambassador for the Bolgheri region, leading it to be recognized as one of Italy’s greatest winegrowing regions. It is their belief, and it is hard to argue, that Bolgheri’s mild maritime climate and diversity of soils create wines as distinct, complex and pleasurable as any in the world.