Orma Toscana 2016

This fabulous Super Tuscan hails from the highly sought-after Bolgheri wine-growing area.  Orma, a seductive blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, is a darling among critics.  This Super Tuscan possesses the perfect combination of power and seductive finesse – as many great Bordeaux blends often do - yet captures the distinctive herbaceous aromas of Italian terroir.  Super Tuscans are the perfect wines for fans of international varietals who are looking to experiment and try something creative and new.   Orma is the quintessential wine for discovering the enviable terroir of Bolgheri, a region known as the jewel of Tuscany.
 
Antonio Moretti of the legendary estate and tastemaker among Super Tuscans, Tenuta Sette Ponti, sensed the potential of the Bolgheri DOC after the success of his flagship wine, Oreno.   The promise of this swath of land in the heart of Tuscany made critics take notice in 1974 when the legendary producer Sassicaia produced a Super Tuscan that won an event hosted by Decanter Magazine.  This wine beat out many established houses in Bordeaux and recognized Sassicaia as an iconic Super Tuscan wine.  In spite of this praise, Bolgheri still remained relatively unheard of until the late 1990s, when it began its meteoric ascent to stardom.  For those familiar with this appellation, they will be happy to know that Orma is blessed with exquisite terroir and neighbors such as Ornellaia and Sassacaia.  It is no wonder the small, 5.5-hectare property was purchased by Antonio Moretti in the mid-1990s after he set his sights on the region and searched tirelessly for the perfect place to cultivate his vines.  The inaugural vintage in 2005 was a resounding success, making Orma yet another household name within the Super Tuscan category.
 
Orma’s vineyards are located within the district of Castagneto Carducci within the Bolgheri DOC.  This extremely small 5.5-hectare parcel is composed of sand and pebbles with significantly less clay than other parts of Tuscany.   This is what makes Orma a unique estate among the exalted properties of Bolgheri. Because of the soil composition, the vines of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc are able to thrive in the well-drained soils.  There is plenty of sunshine at the estate, and the ocean breezes from the Tyrrhenian Sea protect the vines from excess humidity and rot.  Because the sand is so porous, the vines are forced to dig deep to find water reserves, giving the resulting wine plenty of character and power.
 
All the vines that comprise the final blend for Orma are diligently tended to and harvested by hand.  The wine is vinified in temperature controlled fermentation tanks then aged for one year in French barriques.  After that, the wine is bottled and then released after 12 months ageing in bottle.  The blend is a mixture of 50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc.  Upon enjoying Orma, one cannot help but notice beautiful aromas of tobacco, violets, and the deepest darkest berries.  This succulent wine can also age, evolving beautifully with time.
 

"Brooding and dark, with a nicely compact core, the 2016 Orma shows generous concentration and good density at the back. The mouthfeel is rich and thickly textured. The wine produces notes of green olive, black olive, caper and smoke. The blend here is 50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc. This is a powerful wine with 15% alcohol that underlines its potency. Some 30,000 bottles were made" - Monica Larner, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (5/16/2019), Ratings: 95, Drink: 2019-2035