JS97: Outer quote mark Impressive nose of dark truffles, milk chocolate and blackberries. Full-bodied, with lots of licorice and blackberries and truffles. Very long and intense. Goes on for minutes. This is amazing and firm, with a racy character. Best after 2016.

WA97: The 2008 Ornellaia continues to blossom in the bottle. Dark cherries, chocolate, espresso, blackberries and mocha are just some of the many notes that explode from the glass. A rich tapestry of licorice, tar and camphor notes develop in the glass, adding considerable complexity. The 2008 is a huge, structured Ornellaia endowed with massive structure. It has come together beautifully since the early days when it was a tannic beast. Readers who can be patient will be rewarded with a spectacular bottle of wine. This is a fabulous showing.