Ornellaia Bianco 2020

This wine that once featured Viognier in the blend, is now 100% Sauvignon Blanc. The 2020 Ornellaia Bianco is quite tropical and generous in personality with immediate aromas of papaya, Golden Delicious apple and crushed stone. The wine is beautifully textured and long lasting. I asked if Vermentino might ever feature in this blend (to bring in a Tuscan grape), but the answer is no for now. Vermentino already plays a role in the estate’s very popular entry-level Poggio alle Gazze dell’Ornellaia. Viognier is being cut because the grape is difficult, and if you don’t hit the harvest date just right, it can appear flabby and waxy. Drink date: 2023-2035. Score – 94. (Monica Larner, robertparker.com, July 29, 2022)