Ornellaia, Bolgheri DOC (Tuscany, Italy) 2019

 In spite of its history of American and Italian ownership, Ornellaia for the past 20 years has had as its director a winemaker with strong roots in Bordeaux wine production — first Thomas Duroux, now at Château Palmer, and currently Axel Heinz.  If you love Bordeaux-style reds, as I do, and if you believe that the decisions a winery director makes are as important as terroir, as I do, then you are most likely a lover of Ornellaia, as I am.  And even if you don’t follow that line of thought, there is much to love in the current vintage –  62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc.  It is called “Il Vigiore” as part of Ornellaia’s characterization of a vintage, with art to match, in its Vendemmia d’Artist series.  It is dark-fruited (dried blackberries with overtones of chocolate), lean and savory (dried herbs and bacon – no fat) and with loads of dusty tannins.  The balance is perfect, the linearity fantastic and the barrel notes well-integrated.  Not surprisingly, it will age well, but it also opens up quite quickly whether decanted or not.