1500 cl, 13% Alc.

Masseto 2016

2016
  • 1500 cl, 13% Alc.
  • Aging potential: More than 20 years
  • Red

Starting price

£ 48,800
Toscany, Italy
This Merlot-based cult "Super Tuscan" wine expresses a rare combination of deep finesse and distinctive opulence. The second straight vintage received 100/100 from Robert Parker, which emphasises not just the overall success of Italian wine but this particular wine’s forceful base and stunning balance.
Aging potential: More than 20 years
  • 1500 cl, 13% Alc.
  • Aging potential: More than 20 years
  • Red
RP 100/100
DEC 97/100
WS 97/100
Robert Parker
Masseto has pulled off back-to-back home runs. This is the first time that an Italian wine has earned 100 points in successive vintages. The 2016 Masseto is a thunderstorm of emotions, but it manages to keep them under perfect control. Like the 2015 Masseto before it, this vintage is a seamless wine of the highest pedigree. It represents an encore performance, continuing the string of successes that is bringing Italy to the forefront of the wine world. The first thing you'll notice is the thickness and concentration of the fruit that makes an immediate impact on all the senses, in terms of appearance, aroma and mouthfeel. There is no overstating the sheer power and richness of this iconic vintage of Italy's groundbreaking Merlot. Despite that considerable mass, this Masseto remains delicate and graceful. You gain better perspective as the wine opens in the glass and reveals deeper layers that were not immediately apparent on first nose: dark fruit, spice, sweet tobacco and black cherry. There is great tightness and laser focus to the fruit. I tasted the 2016 and 2015 vintages together for comparison when I scored this wine, and then I tasted this 2016 edition alone about a month later to confirm my impressions. These vintages are identical twins, two perfect wines. (Reviewed by Monica Larner)
Decanter
In the hard-fought rivalry between the 2015 and 2016 vintages in Bolgheri, Merlot grapes add their own weight to the discussion. In this more balanced vintage, this variety had at least two advantages: more refined aromas due to night and day temperature variations, and more complexity due to a longer season. Indeed, the main character of this Masseto is a lower pH and almost tingling acidity. Its cardinal red colour increases the solemnity of the tasting. It's polished on the nose, with a fruit character ranging between cherry and cassis, integrated with straw, pipe tobacco, clove, white chocolate, the first signs of some mint, and earthy notes in depth. The refined palate is dominated by the elegant and refreshing acidity, balancing the 15% alcohol, with obviously ripe, velvety tannins and a mineral graphite aftertaste. It comes really close to the outstanding 2006 Masseto, possibly due to the older age of the vines.
Wine Spectator
A flashy style, featuring concentrated yet fluid flavors of blackberry, plum, violet, cedar and iron, wrapped in toasty, vanilla-scented oak. The acidity is vibrant and refined, but dense tannins provide support as this cruises to a long finish. Best from 2022 through 2045

Ornellaia e Masseto

History

This winery was founded by Lodovico Antinori, whose talent for winemaking earned him worldwide fame. He began as a winemaker in California, but returned to his native homeland in 1981. In the 1980s he launched two very successful wines; Masseto and Ornellaia. “While Ornellaia is the maximum expression of Bolgheri and its Bordeaux blends, Masseto represents the ultimate expression of a single vineyard planted with a single variety,” said the former agronomist and wine estate manager Leonardo Raspini.

Technology

While not ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon, the soil of the vineyard that produces Masseto turned out to be perfect for the dense silkiness of Merlot. With an excellent phenolic potential and a well-balanced sugar and acidity ratio, the 2016 vintage has a super-expressive character. Delicate hand-harvested bunches go through double manual selection on the sorting table. After pressing, the fermentation is done in both stainless steel and concrete tanks, as well as a small portion in barrels.The winery generally ages wines for twelve months in 100% new oak, then again after blending, and then continues to age it for at least another 12 months in the bottle before placing it on the market.

Tuscany region

Super Tuscan is a general definition for wines beyond the bounds of DOC rules (mainly Chianti Classico). The 70 to 80 producers using mostly Bordeaux grapes did not have permission to qualify wines for existing appellations, and were forced to declassify to "vino da tavola" or table wine, which is usually associated with low-quality. To distinguish their wines from inexpensive producers, they started to use the label "Super Tuscan." This consequently became a synonym of modern, rich and bold wines. Masseto is among them, and is one of the first that started the success story of the wine-makers here, giving them motivation and drive. The vineyards here are harsh territory that are not easy to cultivate. Looking at it, no one would think that it is capable of producing such high-rated wines. This makes it a truly magical place where nature makes the most important decisions.

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