Vineyards Magazine

The grape harvest is now over at Ornellaia.Technical Director Marco Balsimelli talks us through the 2025 vintage, a year of great promise.

An overview of the 2025 vintage

“2025 was a waiting game. The grapes were slower to ripen than we had imagined, a positive thing, because it always results in fully ripened skins with complex aromas and refined tannins, as well as good balance between the sugar content and the acidity.”

2025 began with a cool, rainy spring, allowing water to be stored to face the months ahead. In the second week of May, the weather changed, bringing a sharp rise in temperatures and stable conditions. June stood out for being exceptionally hot and dry, setting a high-quality profile for the grapes. More moderate temperatures in July enabled the vines to maintain good vegetative balance. The high temperatures in early August favoured density and structure, while the rain at the end of August and early September provided relief. The Merlot, which was picked in early September, benefitted from amazing harvest conditions, resulting in freshness and concentration in the grapes. The final week of the harvest was exceptional: clear skies and swings in temperature from day to night prompted the full phenolic and aromatic ripeness of the Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The 2025 vintage in detail

A cool, wet start to the spring

March brought normal temperatures and wet conditions. In the middle of the month, low temperatures, nearing freezing point in the coldest areas, slowed the budbreak of the earliest Merlot vines, which occurred at the end of March. The continued cool temperatures caused a slowdown in the vegetative growth, meaning that the daily developmental rhythm was reduced as seen in a 10-day delay compared to 2024. Normal vegetative development resumed in mid-April due to a rise in temperatures.

The turning point after May 8

“June was one of the hottest and driest months ever recorded in Bolgheri, a cause for concern if the summer had continued that way. Fortunately, July proved to be cooler and that freshness allowed the vines to regain balance.”

After May 8, there was a marked improvement in the weather conditions, with dry, sunny days that allowed the vines to resume growth. Flowering occurred at the end of May. During the first half of August, the high temperatures returned, with several days reaching significant peaks.

The harvest

“The key to this vintage was tenacity and the ability to observe, wait and harvest at the right moment. We spent a lot of time in the vineyard, closely monitoring the evolution of each parcel to capture the ideal point of ripeness

Late September and the beginning of October brought perfect conditions: clear days, cool daytime temperatures and cold nights.

Sauvignon Blanc started to be harvested on August 18th, followed by Viognier on the 22nd, Sémillon on the 27th and Vermentino between September 3 and 11. The parcels of Merlot, showing surprising freshness and even ripening, were harvested starting August 28th.

However, the weather proved unpredictable in September. The month began with localised showers, followed by more significant rainfall around the 10th. During the rest of the harvest period the weather remained stable and sunny, encouraging even ripening.

Ripening evolved slowly in the other varieties as well, the hallmark of a vintage with great quality potential. Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot were harvested from September 16th onwards, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon starting on the 17th, with the harvest concluding on October 3rd.

Quality of the wines

“After initial tastings, the great quality of these wines lies above all in their vibrant freshness. When we talk about acidity, we’re talking about longevity. I believe these wines will have a bright future. These will be wines with great ageing potential, yet also with density, real character and profound intensity… I’m certain that Ornellaia 2025 will express the personality, diversity and beauty of our terroir to the fullest.”

The Merlot shows a strong character this year: fresh, yet dense. Acidity levels are higher than usual, likely due to the cooler temperatures recorded in July, which preserved aromatic freshness and palate tension. It’s probably the variety that expresses the most tension and minerality in 2025. The Cabernet Franc reveals the potential of the vintage in an extraordinary way. The wines are balanced, fresh, aromatically intense and complex, with an elegant body and long finish. They strike a perfect balance between delicacy and intensity. The Petit Verdot is concentrated, with expressive aromatic profiles: complex, yet true to varietal character, showing notes of rose and pepper. The Cabernet Sauvignon displays a juicy, fleshy character that is typical of Ornellaia. It represents classicism with great depth, density and concentration, yet always balanced, fresh and with incredible length provided by dense, silky tannins.