The character of Ornellaia 2014, the ninth edition of Vendemmia d’Artista, was “L’Essenza”.
Ernesto Neto was the artist chosen to interpret “L’Essenza”. 

Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1964, where he still lives and works, Ernesto Neto studied at the Escola de Artes Visuais do Parque Lage in Rio between 1994 and 1997, while also frequenting the São Paolo Museum of Modern Art. Renowned for his large-scale installations made using crochet, gauze, spices and stones, Ernesto Neto’s artistic research is inspired by a variety of sources: modernist traditions of biomorphic abstraction, Arte Povera and American minimalism, through to the recent legacies of the Brazilian Neo-Concrete Movement, succeeding in blending seemingly disparate influences into a cohesive and harmonious language.

The focus of Ernesto Neto’s current research is the exploration of shamanism as science, the natural phenomena and craftsmanship developed around the communities. In 2014, Neto and members of the Huni Kuin tribe embarked on a series of artistic collaborations that analysed shamanist rituals and traditions. The spiritual life of the tribe, their desire to heal in harmony with nature, and the wisdom and serenity that come from their profound connection with the planet’s energy introduced renewed awareness of the power of nature and the dynamics that govern it into Neto’s work. 
For Vendemmia d’Artista “L’Essenza”, Ernesto Neto decided to convey the natural balance of modern societies through intersecting knitted yarns with which he wanted to cover the bottles. An organisation that has one king, ten lords and a loyal following, which represents the balance that must be found at the heart of every community: hierarchy is indeed essential to be able to live in harmony within a group and in unison with Mother Nature. 
Some of the large-format bottles of Vendemmia d’Artista “L’Essenza” were sold at the Sotheby’s auction held in April 2017. The profits were donated to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York.