Tenuta Dell'Ornellaia Supertuscan Blend Toscana IGT le Volte 2005

Dark ruby-purple in color, with complex aromas of dark chocolate, cola, vanilla, cedar and currant. Full-bodied yet ultrarefined, with dense, seamless, caressing tannins. Everything is in the right proportion. Superb. Cabernet Sauvginon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best after 2009.

Deep ruby. The initially reticent nose begins with a hint of grass before revealing wonderfully complex notes of raspberry, red and black cherry, leather, tobacco and intriguing minerality. Much more explosive on the palate from the get-go, with deep, ripe red and black fruit flavors given extra lift and complexity by pretty coffee and dark chocolate highlights. The very long, nuanced finish features smooth tannins. A very successful Ornellaia.

The gorgeous 2004 Ornellaia is a great way to start this tasting. A lively dark ruby, it is a vibrant effort bursting with expressive aromatics and layered, well-delineated fruit, showing much purity on the palate and closing with a long, finessed finish. Readers hoping to catch this winersquo;s full array of nuances will have to wait at least another few years as the wine remains quite primary today. This exquisite effort is not to be missed. A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. Anticipated maturity: 2011ndash;2019.

Ornellaia mdash; a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot from a 225-acre estate overseen by Lamberto Frescobaldi mdash; remains among the flagship wines from the rapidly developing Bolgheri area on the Tuscan coast. The warm Mediterranean coastal climate tends to favor international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot over Sangiovese, the staple grape of most other winemaking areas in Tuscany. This is the best Ornellaia since the 1997 vintage.

Full ruby-red. Youthful, perfumes nose hints at cherry, flowers, licorice and lead pencil. Dense, brooding and powerful, with superb depth and clarity of cherry, cassis, mineral and floral flavors. An aristocratic, backward, gripping Ornellaia that finishes with explosive length and building tannins. If the rsquo;98 is feminine, this is distinctly masculine. Still an infant.

Incredible class here, with ultrafine tannins and layers of currants, berries and lightly toasted oak. Full-bodied, yet all in harmony and beauty. Beautifully sculptured. Excellent length. Not quite the 1998, but clearly classic. Best after 2005.

Medium body and acid. Medium fruit, oak and tannin. Green vegetables, cherries, brown spices, pipe tobacco. Simple fruit with strong greenish nuances is balanced with ample tannins.