2019 Masseto
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Tasting notes
The 2019 Masseto is a remarkably potent wine woven with layers of incense, polished leather, and macchia herbs. The palate is full and refined, with well-managed and fine tannin structure. Luxurious with red and black fruits, it offers notes of pure red apple, blackberry, graphite, and lavender, and it is long and persistent while retaining a transparent nature with a refreshing feel. A beautiful wine, it is showing its pedigree now but should certainly be cellared, as this is going to be a wine to enjoy over the next several decades. The adjacent sister property to Ornellaia, the Masseto estate in Bolgheri produces benchmark wines based on Merlot, with its first vintage in 1987. Their new winery, which debuted in 2018, was designed by architects Hikaru Mori and Maurizio Zito of the ZitoMori Studio, who named it “The Quarry.” It is an impressive design, with the exterior blending into the landscape, only to reveal its true grandeur upon entering the winery beneath. One feature of the new winery has been to move away from the use of stainless steel, which they found could contribute to reductive qualities. Instead, 20 to 25% of the wine is now fermented in concrete tanks, with the remainder in oak barrels. The concrete also takes on some of the qualities of barrel fermentation, without adding the additional flavors that barrels would contribute. The oldest vines are currently approaching 40 years old, and in newer vintages, Cabernet Franc they planted more recently has been making its way into the wines. My tasting took place at the winery with the estate’s new winemaker, Gaia Cinnirella, and Axel Heinz, who has moved into an overseer role as the estate director.
Critic scores
The Wine Advocate
Tom Parker MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc. Deep, sweet and smoky. This has all the density and polished richness that is expected from this wine. Full-bodied and concentrated, the plentiful tannins are deceptively softened by a sweet cloak of oily fruit. A full-throttle yet balanced wine, this is a feat of density and harmony. (TP)
The 2019 Masseto is fabulous. Silky, gracious and super-refined, the 2019 is a total knock-out. So often Masseto is a powerhouse at this stage, but the 2019 is so elegant, so precise. This is the first year that includes Cabernet Franc, 10% in this case. I can’t say I am at all surprised given how much Franc has added to Massetino. Red berry fruit, mocha, cinnamon and blood orange lend freshness throughout. The 2019 has just been bottle, so it's early. But there certainly appears to be a lot to look forward to. (Originally Published in March 2022)
A sculpted but intense Masseto, with a powerful creep through the palate of liqourice, chocolate, espresso, cocoa, turmeric and smoked vanilla bean. Stunningly rich in texture and concentration, but captures the freshness of eucalypytus, raspberry leaf and crushed mint. 100% new oak, confident, with a velvety punch of flavour from beginning to end. An interesting vintage in tems of the wider conversation around grapes and climate also, as a touch of Cabernet Franc is included for the first time for added grip, from a plot within the vineyard that was planted back in 2002. They expect this percentage to rise over the coming years, begging the question of whether bottles of the old style Masseto will become a time capsule of when Merlot was possible in Bolgerhi? All the more reason to savour it now. 12 months in bottle following the barrel ageing. Director Axel Heinz, winemaker Eleonora Marconi. 100% new oak.
About the producer
Established in the 1980s by Lodovico Antinori on the advice of André Tchelistcheff, Masseto was one of Tuscany’s first pure Merlot wines. Sibling to Ornellaia, the Super Tuscan is often considered the Pétrus of Italy – offering powerful, perfumed wines that are highly sought-after by collectors.