The Buyer | Why Ornellaia 2022 signals a determined change of direction

A year after Ornellaia completely changed its winemaking setup and some of its modus operandi it invited Peter Dean to Bolgheri to meet the new team headed up by Marco Balsimelli and taste Ornellaia 2022. Launched next month, the wine is the first grand vin to be blended by Balsimelli, and has been named ‘La Determinazione’ - to reflect the vines' fortitude in the face of one of the driest periods ever recorded here, and also the determination of the team to turn in such a masterful expression of this unique terroir. The wine itself bears all the classic Ornellaia hallmarks but, like the winemaking team, it is also undergoing change and is part of the Frescobaldi's mission to pursue elegance and a more contemporary style.