Masseto 2012
Tax included.
Winery: Masseto
Vintage: 2012
Grape: Merlot
Drinking window: 2018 - 2040
Region: Bolgheri, Tuscany
Production: 30.000 bottles
Note: wine is upon order in advance
Milano Points: 750 Points
THE ITALIAN GRAPE (97)
The Masseto 2012 is truly exceptional. Its balance, elegance, and freshness are simply remarkable. The fruit in the wine is delicate and smooth, and the texture and structure are both complex and refined, with a proper finish and impressive length. While the nose is not deeply complex initially, it improves with some time after opening. The optimal drinking window is between 2026 and 2032.
ROBERT PARKER (95)
The 2012 Masseto is seductive from the first sip. The 2011 edition of this wine was very successful, and not too different in character from this wine. What the 2012 vintage offers instead is a level of textural richness and creaminess that is absolutely outstanding. The very nature of the fruit feels velvety and silky smooth, without a single ripple. The bouquet reveals upfront aromas of dark cherry and spice that are contrasted perfectly against one another. Classic vintages of Masseto include 2001 and 2006. The 2012 vintage doesn't offer the same backbone firmness as those years, but it offers lots more exuberant richness instead. Some 32,000 bottles were produced. The wine should hold forward for many, many years.
FALSTAFF (98)
Clear, dense ruby-purple. Rich and memorable nose, showing notes of elderberries, blackberries and cassis, plus tobacco and cedar. On the palate as if from a single mould, displays lots of rich and vivid fruit, especially blackberry, also some liquorice, then opens with powerful, dense tannins, multi-layered, very long finish with subtle hints of cocoa.
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.
The 2012 growing year, like 2011, was dry, with the water scarcity already apparent during a cold, dry winter. At budbreak, which occurred as usual, there was a water deficit of about 100mm compared to the multi-year average. A mild, sunny spring fostered excellent vine growth and a rapid, consistent flowering. July and August were hot and nearly rain-free, raising concerns about arrested ripening due to the lack of water. A few rain spells between late August and early September provided the final push for ripening, allowing the fruit to achieve overall ripeness with optimal levels of aromatics and polyphenols. The harvest took place between 29th August and 17th September.
