Bolgheri Superiore 2013

A cool season and naturally low yields gave the 2013 Ornellaia from Bolgheri a concentration that has carried it gracefully through its first 13 years. The blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Petit Verdot shows a brooding, inky purple-brick core with a brick-orange rim. It remains strikingly fresh, offering ripe strawberry, black cherry, dried savory, and worn leather alongside a subtle note of damp earth that never overwhelms the fruit. Secondary tobacco leaf and tertiary hints of truffle and cigar box add depth as the wine opens. Tannins are still grippy, and moderate-plus acidity keeps the full body vital through a fruit-forward finish with another 20 years ahead.