2022 Masseto, Toscana 3x75cl

Masseto: World-Class Merlot From Tuscany 

Rising from a single, legendary hillside in the coastal Bolgheri district, Masseto is widely considered the absolute peak of Italian viticulture and one of the most exclusive fine wines on the market. The estate’s history began in the early 1980s under Marchese Lodovico Antinori, who ignored local advice and planted Merlot on a ridge that experts deemed unsuitable for premium grape-growing. Acting on the prophetic advice of legendary Russian-American oenologist André Tchelistcheff, Antinori recognised that this specific slope possessed an extraordinary microclimate.

Long managed alongside its sister estate, Ornellaia, Masseto was eventually acquired by the Frescobaldi family. Recognising its peerless prestige, the family formally established Masseto as a completely independent entity, culminating in the opening of its own dedicated, state-of-the-art underground winery.

A Merlot To Rival The Best The Pomerol Has To Offer

The overarching winemaking style of Masseto is defined by a striking combination of immense structural power, dark-fruited concentration, and weightless textural elegance. The absolute secret to this unique balance lies beneath the surface: a prominent, seven-hectare vein of Pliocene-era blue clay, similar to that found at Petrus. This ancient, fossil-rich seabed retains vital moisture during the scorching Mediterranean summers, allowing the Merlot grapes to ripen slowly and maintain a vibrant natural acidity.

In the gravity-fed cellar, the fruit is treated with architectural precision, fermenting in sleek concrete vats and a selection of small oak barrels. The wine is subsequently aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak barriques, followed by a further year of bottle maturation. The resulting wine is a masterpiece of density and symmetry, matching layers of black cherry, dark cacao, espresso, and sweet tobacco with fine, integrated tannins.

The Unrivalled Global Status Of Masseto

The extraordinary global market demand and blue-chip quality associated with Masseto have earned it a reputation as the “Pétrus of Italy”, a status reinforced by its position as the very first Italian wine to be distributed globally via the elite Place de Bordeaux market. In a fascinating evolution of its historic recipe, recent vintages have subtly departed from the wine’s traditional 100% Merlot composition, introducing a tiny percentage of Cabernet Franc sourced from an old-vine plot planted on the hill back in 2002 to add a layer of aromatic tension and structural grip.

Alongside the Grand Vin, the estate produces a highly coveted second wine, Massetino, which offers a tighter, slightly more accessible interpretation of the hill’s unique terroir. Highly allocated and fiercely hunted by international connoisseurs, these pristine bottles possess immense cellar longevity, built to reward decades of patient maturation.