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Wine Information
The climate for the 1988 vintage was characterised by generally hot, sunny weather until the final phases of berry ripening with some peak temperatures during the month of August.
The harvest was carried out entirely by hand, and the grapes were collected in baskets holding no more than 15 Kg. The Merlot was harvested on the 14th of September, and the Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc were harvested starting on the 20th of September.
80%Cabernet Sauvignon/16%Merlot/4%Cabernet Franc
Vinification and Ageing
The grapes were destemmed and gently crushed, then introduced partly into wooden fermentors and partly into stainless steel tanks. The fermentation and maceration period lasted for 15-20 days. Then the wine was transferred into French oak barriques where it completed its malolactic fermentation. The wine was aged in French oak barriques from June 1989 until April 1990 (11 months). 40% of the barriques were of new French oak (mostly from Allier and Nevers) and 60% were once-used. This period was followed by a further 16 months in the bottle before release.
Winemaker 's Notes
Vertical Tasting: June 12, 2001
A wine of great elegance and softness, the 1988 vintage is intense ruby in colour. It has aromas of cocoa, cooked cherries, concentrated fruits and a mineral note. On the palate it has a very nice structure and is ready to drink now.
ORNELLAIA’s philosophy considers the birth of the wines to be the truest expression of their terroir. The grapes for Ornellaia are selected by hand, and picked in the estate's vineyards in Bolgheri, on the Tuscan coast. The varying natures of the estate's terroirs, marine, alluvial and volcanic, are ideal for the cultivation of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc ad Petit Verdot. The Estate extends over 97 hectares along the Tuscan coast, just a short distance from the medieval hamlet of Bolgheri and the famed cypress-lined avenue ‘Viale dei Cipressi’. The constant work of the team and the ideal microclimatic and geological characteristics have led the wines, in just twenty years. -- 1985 was the first vintage of Ornellaia -- to enjoy great international success. In 2001 the 1998 Ornellaia was declared Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator. In 2011 the German ‘Der Feinschmecker’ assigned Ornellaia its most sought-after award, the ‘Weinlegende’.
Ornellaia has received considerable recognition also in the national press, and is consistently ranked among the top estates by the Italian Wine Guides, including Gambero Rosso, Espresso, Veronelli, Duemilavini AIS, and Luca Maroni.
