The 2018 Masseto is the vintage surprise few of us could have expected. A sophisticated Masseto that shows balance and harmony. Succulent and subtle fruit at the end. New wood showing now. It’s full-bodied, yet so refined, linear and racy. This is extremely perfumed with flowers, cherries and blackberries, as well as hints of lavender. Aging was 24 months in French oak, 100% new. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media It is the first vintage made at the estate’s new winery, which is equipped with concrete fermenters that allow for more flexibility in extraction. More than anything else, I am struck by how ripe and well balanced the tannins are, something that is rare for Masseto, especially in the early going, when the wine can be a bit burly.Īs was the case throughout Tuscany, the 2018 Masseto is the product of a cool year with a fair amount of rain in August. The 2018 was made from all of the key vineyard plots, minus the young vine replants.

Inky red/purplish fruit, cedar, lavender, espresso, sage and mint are some of the many aromas and flavors that develop with time in the glass. Silky, mid-weight and supremely gracious, the 2018 reminds me of the 2004 in its aromatic intensity and classic, refined feel. The 2018 Masseto is going to be an absolute thrill for readers who follow this iconic Bolgheri Merlot. Wines are then kept for an additional 12 months before being released. Drinking Window 2025 - 2045. The wines are then blended and put back in barrels for another year, totalling 24 months before bottling. Malolactic fermentation in 100% new oak barrique barrels, keeping the various lots separate for the first 12 months of ageing. Extremely well made by winemaker Axel Heinz and one that you just want another glass of immediately. Round, ripe and juicy with excellent acidity that enhances the mineral undertones and spicy sides. Lots of power here but the tannins just glide across the palate, gently with sophistication, with the dense and dark fruit covering the mouth and lingering. This is a showstopper of a wine, and one of the wines of the tasting. A more elegant, moreish version of Merlot than you get in the biggest Pomerols, but every bit as beautiful. Makes a big impression and yet has that Italian ability to be gulpable at the same time. Finely spun tannin that are elastic in embracing and taming the exuberant fruits yet chewy enough on the finish to show there is plenty of ageing ability ahead. Mouthwatering, with tension and precision. #68 James Suckling's Top 100 Italian Wines of 2021Īxel Heinz turning out yet again a wine that is generous and moreish but that goes deeper, offering layers of coffee, smoked herbs, rosemary, saffron, gentle waves of powerful brambled fruits. The objective for winemaker Axel Heinz is to express both the unmistakable personality of Masseto and the specific character of the vintage.100 JA / 99 DE / 98 VM / 98 JS / 97 WA / 96 WS / 18+ JR His vision is shared by the vineyard and winemaking staff who pay the utmost attention to every detail in the vineyard and winery.įrom the beginning of the harvest to the release of Masseto, three intense years pass, marked by respect of nature and time, constant attention to detail and careful winemaking decisions that best express and respect Masseto's character. Among the first people to realize the potential of the great terroir of the Masseto hill was the great Russian-American oenologist, André Tchelistcheff, who contributed to the conception of Masseto in the early 1980s. Another contributor is the combination of Mediterranean sun and a gentle wind that keeps the temperatures moderate during the summer. This geologically diverse terroir is one reason Merlot thrives in the Masseto vineyard. The clay was covered by thick deposits of gravel, sand and rock fragments.

Where the Masseto vineyard now stands, there was once a coastal marsh centuries ago, over which clay deposits formed. Located in the vaunted Bolgheri region of Tuscany, Masseto was first released in 1986 and quickly gained a reputation as one of the world's most sought after and extremely allocated wines. Masseto is a rare, single vineyard wine made entirely from Merlot grapes grown on the vineyard bearing the same name.

Masseto wine 2013 price