Masseto
Often nicknamed the “Italian Petrus”, Masseto is an outstanding single vineyard wine crafted from 100% Merlot grapes. Masseto is the first Italian wine which is produced out of 100% Merlot. Produced by Ornellaia which was founded in 1981. The first Masseto was released in 1986. From the first vintage, Masseto was vinified and aged at Ornellaia, but spring 2019 was the official opening of the label’s own winery. The 27,000-square-foot, ultramodern underground facility was created with a revamped cellar and a wine caveau featuring every vintage dating back to 1986. The 2018 vintage is the first to be made in its own winery. The wine is matured for a year in small French oak barrels and another year in the bottle.
Key to Masseto’s success was Russian-born oenologist André Tchelistcheff. Andre Tchelistcheff first identified that the terroir of the 7-hectare Masseto hill, with its unique grey and blue clay, would be particularly well-suited to planting Merlot. The name Masseto comes from the presence of the masses of clay on the hill, which are as hard as rock: ‘masso’ in Italian means rock. Masseto represents the ultimate expression of a single vineyard planted with a single variety.
Masseto’s second wine, ‘Massetino’, is a relatively new arrival, debuting with the 2017 vintage in autumn 2019. The Massetino is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Production totals around just 30,000 bottles a year of Masseto and around 15,000 bottles of Massetino. Coupled with its legendary status, this scarcity means Masseto consistently commands very high prices at auction, with the average bottle costing around €850. The average price of the Massetino is around €500.
The wine achieved a few outstanding scores. Top recent vintages 2016, 2015 and 2005 all received a perfect 100 point score from Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate. The wine also performs well as an investment, with Masseto 2006 achieving consistent growth of 46% over the past five years.
Top Masseto vintages are: 1997, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2019.
Key to Masseto’s success was Russian-born oenologist André Tchelistcheff. Andre Tchelistcheff first identified that the terroir of the 7-hectare Masseto hill, with its unique grey and blue clay, would be particularly well-suited to planting Merlot. The name Masseto comes from the presence of the masses of clay on the hill, which are as hard as rock: ‘masso’ in Italian means rock. Masseto represents the ultimate expression of a single vineyard planted with a single variety.
Masseto’s second wine, ‘Massetino’, is a relatively new arrival, debuting with the 2017 vintage in autumn 2019. The Massetino is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Production totals around just 30,000 bottles a year of Masseto and around 15,000 bottles of Massetino. Coupled with its legendary status, this scarcity means Masseto consistently commands very high prices at auction, with the average bottle costing around €850. The average price of the Massetino is around €500.
The wine achieved a few outstanding scores. Top recent vintages 2016, 2015 and 2005 all received a perfect 100 point score from Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate. The wine also performs well as an investment, with Masseto 2006 achieving consistent growth of 46% over the past five years.
Top Masseto vintages are: 1997, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2019.
FACTS
Year Founded: 1981
Owner: Mondalvi family
Annual production: approx. 40,000 bottles
Vineyard: approx. 7 hectares
Natural Viticulture
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Masseto
Località Ornellaia 191
57022 Bolgheri LI
Italy
