1988 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia - Ornellaia (94 pts)

1988 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia - Ornellaia (94 pts) @ornellaiawinery @frescobaldivini · 🙋‍♂️ What is your favorite Super Tuscan wine❓· ℹ️ Ornellaia is one of the original Super Tuscan wineries following his cousin Nicolò Incisa's Sassicaia, and his older brother Piero Antinori's Solaia. The grapes were planted in 1981 with the first vintage in 1985. This bottle of 1988 Ornellaia was in the early days of the estate before Michel Rolland was heavily involved in winemaking, which was from 1991 onward. The blend is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc. The wine spent 11 months in French oak barrels with 40% new· 👁 Medium garnet color with a pale rim· 👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of forest floor, lead pencil, menthol, sage, cedar, tobacco, leather, oolong tea, dried black cherry, dried blackcurrant, and dried blackberry· 👄 The wine is dry, medium+ vibrant acidity, low resolved tannins, medium+ alcohol (13%), and medium body. Beautiful texture with a little tingling spice. A long finish of dried black fruit, leather, and tobacco· 🔔 This wine showed well, considering how young the vines were at the time and only after a few vintages under the belt. Ornellaia is in the elite class of Super Tuscan wines and has established itself as a wine of pedigree right out of the gate. The 1988 Ornellaia is at peak and will probably stay in the window for another year or two. I highly recommend drinking these if you happen to have any in the cellar.