2020 Ornellaia Le Volte dell'Ornellaia Tuscany 750 ml

When world-renowned wine critic Antonio Galloni sat down with us for the Wine Access Unfiltered podcast, he revealed one of the secrets he’s learned to finding amazing wines at great values:

“Buy the least expensive wines from the best producers,” he said, because “you know that every wine they make is going to be somewhere between outstanding to just tremendous.” 

That’s Ornellaia’s 2020 Le Volte, a spectacular bottle from a collector-coveted superstar producer often referred to as an Italian First Growth, and Galloni said their wines “have never failed to literally send shivers down my spine.”  

Ornellaia’s more modestly priced bottles are some of the best values you’ll find, thanks to the estate’s resources, winemaking pedigree, and incredibly high standards. Every wine they put out, no matter the price, contains their considerable viticultural expertise, attention to detail, and terroir. 

Just look at Ornellaia’s vineyards. Their original Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon vines were planted by the legendary Russian-born enologist André Tchelistcheff, who called the property a viticultural “El Dorado.” Today, the vines are tended by Axel Heinz, whom Galloni called “one of the world’s most in-demand winemakers,” and his protégée, Olga Fusari.

Heinz and Fusari blend their Merlot and Cabernet with Sangiovese from carefully selected sites, fermenting each variety separately to draw out its unique characteristics. They then age the wine for ten months in barriques and cement tanks, maintaining a delicate balance of tannic structure and fruit boldness.

This is delicious right now yet has the stuffing to age for another seven or eight years with ease. It’s a chance to experience what makes Ornellaia a worldwide icon—without paying the triple-digit price.