Ornellaia sits in the highest echelon of Italian wine, a blue-chip Bolgheri icon whose rise helped prove that the Tuscan coast could produce Cabernet-based wines worthy of the same serious cellars as the great estates of Bordeaux and Napa Valley. The 2012 is a particularly compelling chapter in that story. Ornellaia named the vintage “L’Incanto,” or “Enchantment,” capturing a wine that combines the estate’s trademark concentration with an unusually seductive, seamless character. More than a decade later, that youthful richness has begun to evolve into exactly the kind of complexity collectors look for in mature Ornellaia.

The 2012 growing season was warm, sunny, and predominantly dry, with perfectly timed rain arriving before harvest to relieve the vines and allow the fruit to complete ripening evenly. The final blend is 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Petit Verdot, bringing together the varieties that have defined Ornellaia since its emergence as one of Italy’s great modern estates. Each variety and vineyard parcel was vinified separately before the final blend spent approximately 18 months in French oak barriques, 70% new, followed by another year of bottle aging before release.

Today, the wine is entering a beautiful stage of maturity. Cassis, blackberry, and dark cherry are layered with tobacco, graphite, cedar, Mediterranean herbs, dark chocolate, and savory spice. The warmth of the vintage gives the wine tremendous depth and generosity, but there is real architecture underneath it. Polished tannins, fresh acidity, and a mineral backbone keep the fruit focused, while the Cabernet-dominant blend provides the structure for continued evolution in the cellar.

The 2012 earned 97 points from James Suckling, with additional acclaim from Wine Advocate, Decanter, and Wine Spectator. But this bottle offers something increasingly important for collectors: mature Ornellaia with more than a decade of evolution already behind it and plenty of life still ahead. Bolgheri has long since earned its place among the world’s great Cabernet terroirs, and Ornellaia is one of the wines responsible for putting it there. The 2012 “L’Incanto” shows exactly why.

Critical Acclaim:

99 Points, Decanter:
“Complex notes of ripe blackcurrant and dark cherry on the nose, with walnut, cedar and smoked charcoal. The palate is fresh and vibrant, showing rich yet integrated tannins.”

97 Points, James Suckling:
“A tight and silky red with compacted fruit and tannin texture featuring blackcurrant, mushroom and bark undertones. Full body, firm tannins and a minerally finish.”

Provenance Guarantee

This wine comes with an unimpeachable provenance:

• Purchased Ex Chateau En Primeur in 2017
• Released between June 2018 and March 2019
• Stored at Dartess in Bordeaux
• Transferred to London City Bond in February 2020
• Kept in original packaging, undisturbed case

Impeccable Provenance

These wines were acquired through an approved négociant in 2017. UBetween June 2018 and March 2019, they were stored at Dartess in Bordeaux before being transferred to London City Bond in February 2020. Don't miss this rare opportunity to own a piece of Bordeaux history. With limited quantities available, these wines represent the perfect gift for the discerning oenophile or a treasured addition to any cellar.