Many a wine drinker is happy in their pod like Sigourney Weaver returning home in “Alien” drinking a very limited range of wines whether that be brand, varietal or geographical. It could be trepidation about moving off the beaten path. A Cabernet Sauvignon offers comfort to many a consumer but a Kéfrankos may terrorize others. Stick to Niagara and stay away from Lake Erie North Shore. I am not here to congratulate or chastise you about the path you are on. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
I am continually on the lookout for new wine horizons and/or new wineries. It can be a rough ride facing more failures and disappointments than flag waving successes. But to borrow a well known “human relations phrase’ for metaphorical purposes it is better to have loved and lost than never have loved at all.
It has been some time but I recall Le Volte Dell’ Ornellaia is a Tuscan reliable and there is nothing wrong in my book on occasion to enjoy an old reliable.
A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. The different varietals were fermented separately in small steel tanks to maintain their characteristics. The wine was then aged for 10 months partly in barriques used previously for the famed Ornellaia and partly in concrete tanks.
Aroma: Penetrating and concentrated blueberry and blackberry. Interesting tertiary notes of date squares and root beer.
Palate: Blackberry, raspberry, black cherry and tinges of black licorice. Moderately long but solid finish. There is tension between decadence and freshness a question of concrete balancing the oak? Similarly at times the tannins seem simultaneously silky and brusque.
Personality: I am a wine of tension making a firm description unlikely. Why not call me beguiling?
Food Match: Vegetarian Ziti. With a sauce made from San Marzano’s or Roma field tomatoes the choice matching the possible dual personality of the wine.
Cellarbility: Until end of 2009.
Price: $29 CDN.
RKS 2025 Wine Rating: 92/100. Wine Enthusiast 93.
(Le Volte Dell’ Ornellaia 2023, IGT Toscana, Ornellaia, Castagneto Carducci, Italy, 750 mL, 13.5%).
A Bird's Eye View of Fashion, Food, Travel, Culture, Beverage and Curiosity 