Things were supremely tranquil at Tenuta dell’Ornellaia for decades, the undisputed ruler of Bolgheri from its inaugural 1985 vintage onwards. All the way through 2005 that is, when its next-door neighbor Dr. Antonio Moretti Cuseri released Orma, having invested in coastal Tuscany in the late 1990s by purchasing this prime vineyard location. Dear Italian and Bordeaux varietal loving Operatives, we bring you… the terroir of Ornellaia, at a fraction of its cost today!

Dense ruby / purple-colored, with an opaque heart and a luminous rim, so thin that it’s barely discernable. A fabulous bouquet of sweet oak spice, black raspberries, blackberries, currants, sandalwood, and licorice, harmoniously covering high, mid and low frequencies in unison. Firmly structured and full-bodied, giving off layers of sweet jammy dark fruit and mineral notes throughout the palate. Showing extraordinary class and fine, silky-textured tannins that caress the seemingly endless ending notes. The mouthfeel is all about an impeccably woven tight texture here. Lay this sublime youthful red down for at the very least a couple of years, and either sip on its own or with rare cuts of meat.

While he has yet to review this 2017, for a previous vintage review for Vinous, an ecstatic Antonio Galloni wrote; “I was deeply impressed with the wines I tasted from Orma, proprietor Antonio Moretti’s estate in Castagneto Carducci. Moretti may be better known for the wines he makes at his Sette Ponti property, but Orma has come on very strong, especially within the last few years. These wines are seriously compelling.”

The consulting winemaker here is Carlo “Mr. Merlot” Ferrini, a legendary veteran with a celebrated history of putting many other greats on the map, including Casanova di Neri, Brancaia, Petrolo and San Leonardo. The lists could go on and on. Mind you, like many other Merlot-driven cult Super Tuscans, this is as intense as Merlot can get. What matters most is this breathtaking, polished, modern Ornellaia clone before us, rated 96-100 (3 glasses by Gambero Rosso = perfection!) and nearly HALF OFF. Up until now, you could not own a collectible of this caliber for about 50 bucks. You most likely won’t see it again at that once it vanishes. ACT FAST!

Tre Bicchieri – Gambero Rosso

96 Points – James Suckling - “Fashion icon Antonio Moretti Cuseri set his sights on the Tuscan coastal area of Bolgheri after having secured his reputation for quality winemaking about a decade previously with his wine Oreno from Valdarno, a then little-known region of Tuscany. The vineyards of the small property are in the heart of a region long famed for great wines like Sassicaia, Ornellaia and Macchiole (Messorio). Orma is now making a Bordeaux blend at the same level of quality as its neighbors. The last two vintages are genuine wow wines. This is a dense and powerful red with lots of currant, blackberry and dark tea aromas. Full body and creamy tannins, yet ripe and pretty. Lovely length and beauty. Round and velvety textured. Serious. Needs a year or two to come together. Try after 2020.”