Masseto, 2019, 750ML

Feature

Tasting Note

Robert Parker,  Monica Larner, 12 May 2022

This bottle opens a new chapter for one of Italy's most celebrated and collected wines. The first vintage made entirely in its dedicated state-of-the-art winery (and the first vintage with a 10% dabble of Cabernet Franc added to what has historically aways been a pure expression of Merlot), the Masseto 2019 Masseto has two main themes at heart: concentration and elegance. And managing those two seemingly contrasting elements requires a little bit of magic. That's the Masseto magic we look for. The 2019 vintage delivers it in spades with lovely concentrated fruit, blackberry, integrated spice, tobacco, crushed slate, pencil shaving and lots of texture and fiber to push a lasting mouthfeel. The wine's richness translates into density and power to the palate, meanwhile the bouquet reveals fluidity and new sides as the wine opens in the glass. The finish is tapered and focused.

Drinking Window: 2025 - 2050

Winemaking 

• Hand-harvested bunches were hand-sorted pre and post-destemming, then gently crushed.
• Fermentation occurred mainly in concrete tanks, with some grapes fermenting in barrels (25-30°C).
• Maceration lasted 21-28 days.
• Malolactic fermentation began in new oak barriques, with separate lots aged 12 months before blending.
• After blending, the wine spent another year in barrels (24 months total).
• Masseto 2019 aged an extra 12 months in bottles before release.
  

Winery

Initially, part of the Ornellaia estate, the Masseto vineyard was planted in 1984 based on advice from renowned winemaker André Tchelistcheff. While seeking spots for Cabernet, Tchelistcheff recognized the blue clay of Masseto as perfect for Merlot, a rarity in Bolgheri. Despite initial hesitation from Lodovico Antinori, the property's owner, Tchelistcheff's counsel prevailed.

From its debut vintage in 1987, Masseto quickly gained acclaim for its unique Merlot expression, distinct from Ornellaia's Cabernet-based wines. Today, this Super Tuscan stands as a globally renowned Merlot, lauded for its ageing potential, elegance, and freshness, often likened to "the Pétrus of Italy.".