Masseto - Toscana 2021 (750ml)
Vinous: 100 Points
The 2021 Masseto is a stunner. It also shows how much the estate has evolved in recent years. I was reminded of that recently when I drank the 2001 considered by many observers including this one to be one of the greatest wines ever made here. The 2021 represents a move towards a more refined style. There?s less of the bombastic intensity and extraction that were once the norm here. I remember young vintages that were impossible to taste young. The 2021 on the other hand is an absolute delight. Crushed flowers spice blood orange and bright red-toned fruit all grace the palate. Floral aromatics and saline underpinnings are at times reminiscent of the Cabernet Franc found in the 2019 and 2020 but the 2021 is back to the classic 100% Merlot. Readers will find a Masseto built on linear energy more than volume. The 2021 is quite simply the most exquisite refined young Masseto I have ever tasted. Aging was 24 months in 100% new French oak. - By Antonio Galloni on February 2024 Winemaker Gaia Cinnirella and her team turned out a stunning Masseto that will take its place among the greatest wines ever made here. There?s a new feeling of elegance in Masseto that is palpable. The tannin profile and integration of new oak in particular show noticeable strides in a direction that values finesse more than power alone. The new dedicated cellar with its custom-designed tanks and high humidity surely plays a role but ultimately a wine reflects the vision of its winemaker more than anything else. The 2021 Masseto is absolutely brilliant. Don?t miss it!
Decanter: 99 Points
In 2021 Masseto returns to its original 100% Merlot concept following two years which saw the inclusion of 15% Cabernet Franc. Following a mild and wet winter spring was dry and the summer was characterised by higher than average temperatures and periods of drought. Luckily the vines were quenched by the water reserves built up at the beginning of the year. Masseto 2021 really has everything: it's vertical in shape and saline in character with succulence of fruit freshness of profile and finesse of tannins. Mediterranean herbs accompany ripe dark fruit scents and flavours which are yet to reveal all their depth and charm. (Drink between 2026-2056)
Jeb Dunnuck: 98-100 Points
Tasted from barrel the 2021 Masseto pours a youthful magenta hue and brings forward an inviting bouquet with some blue fruit coming through and more chocolate aromas as well with to me it is fresh with blackberry and purple violet flowers. It boasts outstanding concentration and depth with a plush cushiony texture at this stage incredible finesse and balance and a wonderful mineral aroma of wet asphalt coming through. A harmonious wine with well-integrated oak this may be the best vintage of this cuvée that I have tasted to date. The adjacent sister property to Ornellaia the Masseto estate in Bolgheri produces benchmark wines based on Merlot with its first vintage in 1987. As noted in this report?s introduction and in the Ornellaia profile 2023 saw the departure of long-time winemaker and estate director Axel Heinz. Winemaker Gaia Cinnirella is staying on and shows tremendous promise for the estate. 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?s 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 moving away from using 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 Gaia Cinnirella.
Wine Spectator: 99 Points
Plum and blackberry flavors are wrapped in an embrace of toasty oak with vanilla resin and iron accents. Dense tannins coat the gums while bright acidity keeps this focused and drives the spice-infused aftertaste. Fluid and long this silky red ultimately is all about finesse. A superb success in a great vintage. Merlot. Best from 2027 through 2047. 440 cases imported.
James Suckling: 98 Points
Dark purple color. Blackberry blueberry flint gunmetal and currant aromas with undertones of violets and mocha. Full-bodied with ultra-fine tannins that are very polished giving a silky texture that fills your mouth. It?s fresh yet very deep with tannins that last for minutes. Finely crafted and classy. Pure merlot. Drink after 2029.
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