Masseto 2010
Tax included.
Winery: Masseto
Vintage: 2010
Grape: Merlot
Drinking window: 2014 - 2039
Region: Bolgheri, Tuscany
Production: 30.000 bottles
THE ITALIAN GRAPE (99)
The Masseto 2010 was one of the most remarkable 100% Merlot wines I have ever tasted. It's incredible how much depth, complexity, and structure this wine possesses, yet there is such harmony. Truly a wine for the cellar. It definitely needs at least 10 years to fully appreciate the balance that exists within the wine. A wine that is unique in its own way!
ROBERT PARKER (100)
The 2010 Masseto is truly monumental, leaving you breathless and wordless all at once. Once you sip the wine, it takes a few minutes before you grasp the enormity of its beauty and potential. You almost have to wonder how enologist Axel Heinz could conceive of a wine this beautiful - and how did he execute it? I could wax poetic for hours: Dark cherry, chocolate, baking spice and tobacco smoke lift off the bouquet in thin veils and magical puffs. The quality of the aromas is exceptional, but again, the seamless integration is what makes Masseto a protagonist of Italian wine. No matter how much time goes by, that beauty will remain firmly etched in your memory bank.
FALSTAFF (100)
Dunkles Rubingranat, gute Farbtiefe, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Feine Nuancen von Lakritze, attraktiver Touch von Edelholz, feine Noten von Herzkirschen, etwas Wacholder, Bitterschoko, einnehmende Würze. Am Gaumen stoffig, elegant, feine Extraktsüße, mineralisch unterlegte Kirschenfrucht, bereits sehr harmonisch und finessenreich strukturiert, Nuancen von Röstaromen im Abgang, dunkle Beerenfrucht im Rückgeschmack, bereits heute perfekt zu trinken. Peter Moser
About the wine
Masseto, often named the “Italian Petrus,” is an exceptional single-vineyard wine made exclusively from Merlot grapes, a rarity in Italian winemaking. Produced by Ornellaia, established in 1981, Masseto debuted in 1986 and has since been vinified and aged at Ornellaia until the opening of its dedicated winery in spring 2019. This state-of-the-art facility houses every vintage dating back to 1986. The 2018 vintage marks the first production in this new winery, where the wine matures for a year in small French oak barrels followed by another year in the bottle. Crucial to Masseto’s success was oenologist André Tchelistcheff, who identified the unique grey and blue clay terroir of the 7-hectare Masseto hill as ideal for Merlot cultivation. The name Masseto derives from the massive clay presence on the hill, resembling rock. Masseto epitomizes the pinnacle of a single-vineyard, single-variety expression.
Masseto earns the nickname of the 'Italian Petrus' due to its exclusive 100% Merlot blend, limited production, and high demand, which drives its prices to unparalleled heights. Lodovico Antinori drew inspiration from Bordeaux, France, particularly the Right Bank this time, known for its Merlot-centric wines, when crafting Masseto. Besides the hill's distinctive blue clay soil, another crucial element shaping Masseto's terroir is the Tyrrhenian Sea, located just 10 kilometers away from the vineyards. During summer, the sea reflects sunlight, indirectly providing the vines with additional warmth, while also offering a subtle cooling breeze. This maritime influence moderates and prolongs the ripening process, resulting in a harmonious balance between tannins and acidity in the wine.
2010 is a cooler vintage with a delayed harvest, the Masseto of 2010 is characterized by elegance, displaying refined tannins at their best but showing some inconsistency. This growing season stands out for its lateness, with budbreak to harvest stages trailing about 10 days behind the norm. Thanks to meticulous vineyard management, particularly in leaf-pulling, the grapes remained healthy and sound. Cool nights contributed to the development of fine aromatic compounds, resulting in wines with remarkably crisp fruit and floral notes.
