2023 Masseto
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Tasting notes
Ripe plum, black cherry, coffee, cedar and vanilla swirl around in this polished, sophisticated red, accented by a hint of Bourbon. Expands on the palate, displaying terrific harmony and grace, with a long, complex and spice-tinged aftertaste. So smooth that you may want to pull the cork now, but this should be better in five years. Merlot.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2023 Masseto, 100% Merlot, is a young wine that still needs time to come together. Dark cherry, plum, mocha, chocolate, new leather, licorice and a kiss of French oak race across the palate. I find the tannins a bit large-grained relative to most years. This is a transitional vintage for Masseto. The oak imprint very clearly speaks to a vintage with a bit less structure than the very top years. I am very interested to see how the 2023 develops in bottle. Aging was 24 months in French oak, 70% new.
Creamy but reserved raspberry and blackberry fruit studded through with sea spray, liqourice root, anis, fennel, bitter orange peel, cocoa bean, beautiful tension and clarity of expression. Brilliant. Marco Balsimelli Technical Director and winemaker, Marchesi Frescobaldi owners.
Bottled in the first week of December 2025, the 2023 Masseto is deeply expressive and layered, with aromas of wet stone, mint, vanilla, and petrichor, alongside a striking sense of chalky minerality. As it opens, notes of lavender oil, juniper, rosemary, and Amarena cherry coated in dark chocolate emerge with remarkable clarity. Full-bodied, it delivers power without weight, combining opulence with restraint. The tannins are finely structured, the acidity vibrant, and the length profound. This is a vintage built on precision and energy, with a structure that will reward patience over the long term.
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.