Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Ornellaia Vendemmia d'Artista Solare 2017

Since 2006, Ornellaia has commissioned a major international contemporary artist each vintage to interpret a single word chosen by the winemaker — for 2017, that word is Solare, a direct reckoning with one of the hottest, driest growing seasons on record in Bolgheri. The heat reduced production by roughly 15%, concentrating sugars and phenolics into smaller, more compact berries that pushed the blend toward a 56% Cabernet Sauvignon dominance, with 25% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, and 9% Cabernet Franc.

The estate's 99 ha span two distinct blocks: the original 41 ha surrounding the winery on denser clay soils, and the 58 ha Bellaria property to the north on stonier, better-drained alluvial ground — the latter contributing the fresher, more vibrant structural backbone that prevents 2017's heat from tipping into excess. Tyrrhenian Sea breezes moderate summer temperatures across both sites, preserving the saline coastal freshness that defines Ornellaia's house profile.

Each variety and block is vinified separately: fermentation in stainless steel and concrete below 25°C, followed by 10–15 days maceration (total vat time ~3 weeks). Malolactic fermentation occurs in French oak barriques (70% new, 30% once-used), with 18 months total barrel aging — 12 months as individual base wines, then assembled for a further 6 — plus a minimum 12 months bottle age before release. The elevated Petit Verdot proportion (10%, versus just 4% in 2016) is the vintage's structural signature, adding grip and dark-spice density that no cooler year would have permitted at this share.

Rich and concentrated now, 2017 still needs time to fully integrate; best approached from 2026 onward, with a drinking window extending well into the late 2030s.