Bolgheri's micro-climate allows vines to escape dry heat - Most of Italy has been plagued by intense dry heat this summer, but the Ornellaia Estate in Bolgheri (Livorno) has managed to avoid an early harvest thanks to a well-balanced micro-climate.
"The grapes have responded unusually well given the hot weather and drought-like conditions in most of the country," noted winery general manager Leonardo Raspini.
The vines have clearly reacted well to an early bud-break during the month of April. This year, the roots were treated to incredibly warm and nutrient rich soil that went straight to the leaves.
The Ornellaia Estate is the cornerstone of the Frescobaldi group's holdings (72% is owned by Frescobaldi, 25% by Russian SPI Group and 2% by Mondavi).
The winery produced over 700,000 bottles in 2006 - the majority (67%) is exported to the U.S., Germany and Switzerland.
