Review: 2015 Poggio Alle Gazze dell’Ornellaia IGT
Bogheri, Italy’s Ornellaia is well known for its cult red wines, but lately it’s been moving into uncharted territory: Whites. Poggio Alle Gazze is the result of “Super Tuscan white wine” experiments that winemaker Axel Heinz began 10 years ago, and with the 2015 vintage, this wine is available in the U.S. for the first time ever.
It’s a blend that changes every year, though it is always heavy on sauvignon blanc. For 2015 the wine is 61% sauv blanc, 23% viognier, 14% vermentino, and 2% petit manseng. Let’s give it a try!
Frankly, this is a glorious and enchanting wine, but it’s one that needs a little time to develop in the glass. At first blush, it’s all crisp minerals and flint, with a smattering of tart citrus. Slowly, its deeper charms develop: honeysuckle, white florals, and some of those classic peach and apricot notes driven by the increasingly aggressive viognier. On the finish, a surprising and fun cinnamon character starts to show itself, before notes of lemon peel whisk it away to a clean and palate-cleansing conclusion. Beautiful!
A / $75 / ornellaia.com
2015 Poggio Alle Gazze dell’Ornellaia IGT
$75
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