Ornellaia is the estate’s “Grand Vin,” with exceptional balance, power, elegance, and great aging potential. It faithfully reflects, in every vintage, its nature, site, and distinctive Mediterranean personality, and has established itself as one of the most iconic wines in Italy (and beyond).

Ornellaia is the estate’s “Grand Vin,” with exceptional balance, power, elegance, and great aging potential. It faithfully reflects, in every vintage, its nature, site, and distinctive Mediterranean personality, and has established itself as one of the most iconic wines in Italy (and beyond).

Today’s Château Margaux and Pavillon Rouge as a percentage of the estate’s total production are often equivalent to the production of just Château Margaux
from 30 years ago. Starting with the great vintage of 2009 it was clear that there were high quality vineyards producing high quality fruit that while not quite at the level of today’s Pavillon Rouge, were still of a level that would make Château Margaux proud to put their name on the label. Thus a selection of the top lots for a third wine was done, and a fourth wine was therefore produced (and sold off in bulk).

This wine was produced to allow consumers an entry to Château Margaux. The style of the wine and the timing of the release are intended so that the wine can drink when a vintage is launched. Because it is 100% estate, production will not grow, and is quite limited at 2-3,000 cases produced each vintage.

Allen Meadows has already written about the red wines of 2015: “As I asserted in Issue 65, the 2015 vintage in the Côte de Nuits is the best vintage since 2005. In the Côte de Beaune 2015 is the best vintage since 1999.”

A serious statement at this early stage, but one that’s hard to argue after you’ve tasted the wines. At entry levels, the wines offer consistent pleasure and quality. In the top terroirs they offer the intensity and substance of a warm vintage, with unusual balance and detail. In a phrase, as Stephen Tanzer wrote in the headline to his article on the 2015 Red Burgundies: “You are so going to want them.”

Click on the image below to see more on the vintage and individual wines.

Heartland’s flagship wine is made from the finest selection of Shiraz from each vintage. Directors’ Cut is the most powerful expression of Langhorne Creek – this soft and generous vintage has allowed the wine to display all its beauty.

Beginning with the 2017 vintage, Ponzi’s Pinot Noir Reserve comes exclusively from estate fruit, including from some of Oregon’s oldest vines. As one of the major wine publications once wrote, “All Oregon Pinot Noirs are measured against the Ponzi yardstick”. That has been true for over 50 years, while the Ponzi family has farmed 140 acres of certified sustainable vineyards all planted on Laurelwood soils. During their tenure, the Ponzis have observed the unique characteristics as their vines penetrated the earth and evolved. Bright red fruit character in their youth gave way to dark berry and brambly spice as the vines reached into the volcanic layers. The character of this soil has defined the Ponzis’ wines and served as a guide for generations of winemakers in the Willamette Valley. The Pinot Noir Reserve’s brooding dark fruit and exotic spice has rendered it one of the ultimate examples of artisanal, site-expressive Pinot Noir in the United States today, year after year epitomizing a character of restrained power. The 2017 boasts a new label design with a textured effect that resembles the layers of Laurelwood soils. 

Once a component of the Angeli Cuvée, this Zinfandel long stood out for its brilliance, clarity, and leanness. Now, showcased on its own, it speaks volumes about this unique little canyon off Alexander Valley known as Angeli Ranch. The halo-like image on the label pays homage to Viola Angeli, who sold the Angeli Ranch to Chris Bilbro in an angelic act that mirrors her name.

The estate series from Marietta is made with terroir in mind above all else. For many years these sites were included in blends, though they routinely stood out as extraordinary. These wines are true expressions of unique sites, crafted with freshness, tension and longevity in mind.

Directors’ Cut is Heartland’s most powerful expression of Langhorne Creek. The weight of fruit in this wine showcases how much Langhorne Creek Ben can fit into one bottle. An almost impenetrable core of fruit is seasoned with dark spice like licorice, nutmeg and anise.

The best grapes from the finest vineyards in Langhorne Creek are recruited to create Heartland One. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Shiraz, a long and relatively cool ripening season allowed for full development of the fruit flavors. The wines retain their natural acidity while conveying the full range of fruit flavors and deep colors.

The grapes for Domaine Chanson’s Bourgogne Rouge are sourced exclusively from select estate-owned vineyards in the Côte de Nuits, as well as several terroirs located in the southern part of the Côte de Beaune.

Jester Shiraz is a blend of several blocks within the Lopresti vineyard in the Willunga district, all the way at the southern tip of McLaren Vale and on the coast. The vineyard soil types are heavy grey loam over sandstone soils, with black cracking Biscay clay intermixed. These soils have excellent water-holding capacity and require minimal irrigation. Being so close to the coast the vines experience warm summer days that contribute to fruit intensity and excellent tannin ripeness. Cooling afternoon and night sea breezes maintain good acid levels in the grapes, allowing extended maturation on the vine and resulting in complexity of the flavor profile.

Depending on the vintage, the components vary, but all have a common theme of more upfront fruit than grapes destined for G.A.M. or Savitar, to make a more approachable wine style. The grapes are fermented for 5 days on skins in 2 ton open fermenters and then matured in oak from the previous year’s G.A.M. The wine has fresh, vibrant, lifted and pure aromas and flavors, with attractive cassis, pepper and licorice on the nose with a hint of nutty spice. The flavors explode with blackcurrant, plums and cinnamon layering over silky tannin and superb length.

Jester Shiraz is a blend of several blocks within the Lopresti vineyard in the Willunga district, all the way at the southern tip of McLaren Vale and on the coast. The vineyard soil types are heavy grey loam over sandstone soils, with black cracking Biscay clay intermixed. These soils have excellent water-holding capacity and require minimal irrigation. Being so close to the coast the vines experience warm summer days that contribute to fruit intensity and excellent tannin ripeness. Cooling afternoon and night sea breezes maintain good acid levels in the grapes, allowing extended maturation on the vine and resulting in complexity of the flavor profile.

Depending on the vintage, the components vary, but all have a common theme of more upfront fruit than grapes destined for G.A.M. or Savitar, to make a more approachable wine style. The grapes are fermented for 5 days on skins in 2 ton open fermenters and then matured in oak from the previous year’s G.A.M. The wine has fresh, vibrant, lifted and pure aromas and flavors, with attractive cassis, pepper and licorice on the nose with a hint of nutty spice. The flavors explode with blackcurrant, plums and cinnamon layering over silky tannin and superb length.

Luce Brunello is the estate’s tribute to one of Italy’s crowning jewels of wine production. Of the 217 acres of vineyards at Luce, 27 are are officially listed in the Register for Brunello di Montalcino DOCG. It is an exquisitely balanced wine, gentle and yet powerful, and is produced in very small quantities to showcase the unique character of a pure Sangiovese  from the estate and to pay tribute to the tradition of winemaking excellence in Montalcino.

Poggio alle Gazze dell’Ornellaia is one of Italy’s most innovative and progressive white wines, providing an altogether different experience of the Ornellaia estate and its Mediterranean influences.

James Healy and Ivan Sutherland will tell you that it’s hard for them to grow much Chardonnay at the extremely high quality level they want for this wine. As with their Section 94 and Pinot Noir, the wine is distinctive due to extraordinary vineyard holdings, intense vineyard management geared towards low yields and hand-picked fruit, and long, low touch winemaking. The effect this work has on the Chardonnay, by nature the least expressive of these three grape varieties, is wild – the wine is intensely expressive, with loads of fruit, leesy character, and chalky minerality that is almost textural. As with all the wines they produce, it is considered a national standard bearer of a different shade.

James Healy and Ivan Sutherland will tell you that it’s hard for them to grow much Chardonnay at the extremely high quality level they want for this wine. As with their Section 94 and Pinot Noir, the wine is distinctive due to extraordinary vineyard holdings, intense vineyard management geared towards low yields and hand-picked fruit, and long, low touch winemaking. The effect this work has on the Chardonnay, by nature the least expressive of these three grape varieties, is wild – the wine is intensely expressive, with loads of fruit, leesy character, and chalky minerality that is almost textural. As with all the wines they produce, it is considered a national standard bearer of a different shade.

Jester Shiraz is a blend of several blocks within the Lopresti vineyard in the Willunga district, all the way at the southern tip of McLaren Vale and on the coast. The vineyard soil types are heavy grey loam over sandstone soils, with black cracking Biscay clay intermixed. These soils have excellent water-holding capacity and require minimal irrigation. Being so close to the coast the vines experience warm summer days that contribute to fruit intensity and excellent tannin ripeness. Cooling afternoon and night sea breezes maintain good acid levels in the grapes, allowing extended maturation on the vine and resulting in complexity of the flavor profile.

Depending on the vintage, the components vary, but all have a common theme of more upfront fruit than grapes destined for G.A.M. or Savitar, to make a more approachable wine style. The grapes are fermented for 5 days on skins in 2 ton open fermenters and then matured in oak from the previous year’s G.A.M. The wine has fresh, vibrant, lifted and pure aromas and flavors, with attractive cassis, pepper and licorice on the nose with a hint of nutty spice. The flavors explode with blackcurrant, plums and cinnamon layering over silky tannin and superb length.

James Healy and Ivan Sutherland will tell you that it’s hard for them to grow much Chardonnay at the extremely high quality level they want for this wine. As with their Section 94 and Pinot Noir, the wine is distinctive due to extraordinary vineyard holdings, intense vineyard management geared towards low yields and hand-picked fruit, and long, low touch winemaking. The effect this work has on the Chardonnay, by nature the least expressive of these three grape varieties, is wild – the wine is intensely expressive, with loads of fruit, leesy character, and chalky minerality that is almost textural. As with all the wines they produce, it is considered a national standard bearer of a different shade.

G.A.M. represents the first initial of each of Frank Mitolo children’s first names – Gemma, Alex and Marco – and G.A.M. was the first and remains the flagship wine of the estate. A Shiraz that embodies the Mitolo credo: strong and gentle. Uncompromising intensity and depth, supple complexity of fruit and savory flavors.

Le Volte dell’Ornellaia combines a Mediterranean expression of generosity with structure and complexity, reflecting the philosophy of Ornellaia. It represents the first step into the Ornellaia family, and is an ideal wine for everyday enjoyment.