Bolgheri DOC Superior Red Ornellaia is born from the meeting between nature and thought. Ancient and complex soils dialogue through the wisdom of man with a delicate microclimate that finds in the Mediterranean Sea echo and mirror. A long aging accompanies the great wine of the estate to its maximum expression, revealing over time its finesse, breadth and generosity. ORNELLAIA 2016 ‘LA TENSIONE’ - BOLGHERI DOC SUPERIORE ROSSO Il desiderio di esprimere le eccezionali qualità della tenuta è stato fin dal principio alla base della filosofia di Ornellaia. Ornellaia è una cuvée di Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc e Petit Verdot, espressione fedele di un terroir unico da sempre in armonia con la natura. TASTING NOTES FROM THE OENOLOGIST 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot “2016 represents another very successful year that highlights all the virtues of Bolgheri's climate: abundant sun, Not excessively hot, a dry summer that allows the grapes to reach a perfect level of ripeness and concentration And enough rain to avoid water stress. All these elements combined allow us to obtain a wine Perfectly mature and opulent, firm and intense; opposing forces create a sense of deep vigor that we love to define “Tension”.” Axel Heinz - Estate Manager “The particularly dark and young color is the prelude to a complex aroma of blueberries, spices and cedar. On the palate it appears Rich and dense, balanced by a refined and solid tannic structure, enlivened by a juicy and brilliant acidity.” Olga Fusari - Oenologist - July 2018 THE CLIMATE OF 2016 In the wake of what seems to have become more and more normal, even the winter of 2016 was Characterized by an unusually hot climate with abundant rains in February. The sprouting has begun The last week of March. The abundance of water in the soil and the warm climate of April have favored rapid and normal vegetative growth Of the vines. In May, temperatures returned to normal, slowing growth and favoring the Flowering, which took place the last week of May, a period characterized by a dry and sunny climate, Perfect for a good attachment. The summer was mostly characterized by low rainfall that caused A considerable water stress towards the end of the maturation phase. Even the typical thunderstorms that in August They accompany the vacation days, they are missed, causing the drought to characterize the first part of the period Of harvest, however the much cooler temperatures during the night have allowed the vines to recover From the heat of the day. The ripening continued regularly, giving the grapes an extraordinary potential Phenolic and a balanced sugar/acidity ratio. The harvest began on August 24 with the Merlot of the most Young. The poor rains in mid-September made it possible to complete the harvest in conditions practically Perfect, with a sunny but moderately warm weather and with a sufficient irrigation of the soil to prevent To the screws to go into a maturation block. The harvest ended on October 12 with the last Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. VINIFICATION AND AGEING The collection was carried out by hand in 15 kg boxes and the bunches were selected on a double sorting table Before and after the clearing and subjected to a soft pressing at the end. In 2016, in addition to manual selection The optical one was introduced to further increase the quality of the selection. Every variety and every parcel It has been vinified separately. The alcoholic fermentation took place partly in stainless steel vats, partly in Concrete vats at temperatures between 26-30°C for a week, which is followed by maceration for a total of About 10-15 days. Malolactic fermentation took place mainly in oak barrels (70% new and 30% Of second passage). The wine remained in barriques in the Ornellaia cellar at a controlled temperature for a Period of about 20 months. After the first 12 months, the assembly was carried out and then reintroduced into the barriques Where he spent another 8 months. The wine remains bottled for another 12 months before being introduced on the market.