MASSETO: THE COLLECTORS' ITALIAN WINE
It’s a fact that Italian wine is getting more and more exposure and becoming increasingly attractive worldwide. French wines used to be undisputedly pre-eminent in international auctions, but now the high quality of Italian wineries and their over 50 years of experience are bearing fruit. Foreign collectors, brokers, and buyers, increasingly seek our precious bottles. Their attention is focused on both vintage Barolo and Barbaresco and on the recent Supertuscans. In most cases, the limited quantities available determine a significant increase in their market value.
Among Italian wines, Masseto is for sure the symbol of this trend. As a pure form of Merlot, it was produced in 1986 for the first time, simply labeled Merlot; nowadays the leading experts and journalists consider it as the Italian bottle which is worth collecting more than any other. Its popularity grows year after year and it scores better and better in wine tastings all over the world: it is currently the 3rd best wine worldwide for its quality, ageing potential and prestige.
Frescobaldi family's Masseto is produced in Tuscany, in the area around Bolgheri, where the soil characteristics are unique. Where the vineyards now stand there was once a marsh, where sediments and clay settled over the centuries and where the sea’s invasions contributed to the salinity of the soil. In later times, the ground was overlain by erosion debris from the surrounding hills, which were then mountains and then gravel, sand and rock fragments. In addition, the Pliocene clays that characterise this area resurfaced due to the shocks of earthquakes. The vineyard also benefits from a particular climate, since in the Maremma region, the sun shines throughout the year, but the temperature is kept moderate during the summer, by a sea breeze. Fresh soil and the mild climate prevent dry conditions, but allow the grapes to ripen gradually. The resulting wine boasts a perfect combination of freshness and ripeness.
In the early 80s, the Russian-American enologist Andrè Thcelicheff had the vision to plant a Merlot vineyard on this terroir. The team at Masseto agreed with him and committed to make this wine one of the best Merlot’s worldwide. What makes this wine so complex and unique is the complexity and uniqueness of the terroir. It is divided into three parts: the Upper Masseto, on top of the Masseto hill, 120 metres above sea level, where the soil is made of clays and pebblerich sand, which make the wine extremely elegant and sophisticated; the Central Masseto, which is the soul of this vineyard. This area is the richest in Pliocene clay and slopes with a 10% gradient. The wine produced here is powerful, concentrated and tannic, with great character, longevity and structure. The lowermost rows, instead, grow on less clayey soil, thus producing a more generous and soft wine. This is the Masseto Junior area. In each of these three areas there are further sub-areas, each with different characteristics which demand special care and separate harvesting. This complexity is the reason for the many facets of this wine, which demands great care and commitment.
The vines are attentively cared for all year round; harvests for each plot are decided according to the ripening grapes maturation and laboratory tests. Each cluster of grapes is harvested separately in the early hours of the day, thus preserving their fragrance and enriching the complexity of the resulting bouquet. Bunches are carefully selected and destemmed and each berry is inspected and discarded if it shows any imperfection. The wine-making process is tailored to guarantee to each vineyard plot, to make it possible to control the expression of its character as loyally as possible. The base wines are produced from each area; and ferment separately and age in barriques. Afterwards, the wine is assembled: the winemaker Axel Heinz decides which base wines will be used to form Masseto. The main objective is to express both the unmistakable personality of Masseto and the uniqueness of the specific vintage. After blending, Masseto wine remains in the barriques for another year, continuing its ageing process until bottling.
The last vintage on the market is that of 2011. It obtained awards and high scores by all most important international critics (100/100 by James Suckling), thus guaranteeing a long-lasting success to this wine and stealing the scene from the 2001 vintage, which used to be considered the best. And 2011 was a warm and dry year and the harvest began earlier than average. Thanks to the almost perfect climatic conditions throughout the year, the grapes were very well balanced and had no trace of over-ripeness. The result is a typically Mediterranean wine from a warm Bolgheri terroir. Despite its concentration and maturity, a superb balance prevails. Its colour is deep and dark. This wine smells like an explosion of ripe fruit with chocolate and toasty tones, but it never tends to jammyness or cooked notes. The flavour is dense, broad, concentrated and opulent, with perfectly supple and glossy tannins concluding with a touch of freshness infused with the fruit and spice encountered on the nose. During our auction last May, we had the pleasure to present to our Clients a prestigious selection of wines from the Cantina Storica Masseto, with a special vertical from 1988 and 1993, three 6-litre bottles of 1998, 2004 and 2006, one 15-litre bottle of 2010 (no. 5 of the 20 bottles produced), three Magnums and two Double Magnums of the 2011 vintage.
By Luisa Bianconi
Among Italian wines, Masseto is for sure the symbol of this trend. As a pure form of Merlot, it was produced in 1986 for the first time, simply labeled Merlot; nowadays the leading experts and journalists consider it as the Italian bottle which is worth collecting more than any other. Its popularity grows year after year and it scores better and better in wine tastings all over the world: it is currently the 3rd best wine worldwide for its quality, ageing potential and prestige.
Frescobaldi family's Masseto is produced in Tuscany, in the area around Bolgheri, where the soil characteristics are unique. Where the vineyards now stand there was once a marsh, where sediments and clay settled over the centuries and where the sea’s invasions contributed to the salinity of the soil. In later times, the ground was overlain by erosion debris from the surrounding hills, which were then mountains and then gravel, sand and rock fragments. In addition, the Pliocene clays that characterise this area resurfaced due to the shocks of earthquakes. The vineyard also benefits from a particular climate, since in the Maremma region, the sun shines throughout the year, but the temperature is kept moderate during the summer, by a sea breeze. Fresh soil and the mild climate prevent dry conditions, but allow the grapes to ripen gradually. The resulting wine boasts a perfect combination of freshness and ripeness.
In the early 80s, the Russian-American enologist Andrè Thcelicheff had the vision to plant a Merlot vineyard on this terroir. The team at Masseto agreed with him and committed to make this wine one of the best Merlot’s worldwide. What makes this wine so complex and unique is the complexity and uniqueness of the terroir. It is divided into three parts: the Upper Masseto, on top of the Masseto hill, 120 metres above sea level, where the soil is made of clays and pebblerich sand, which make the wine extremely elegant and sophisticated; the Central Masseto, which is the soul of this vineyard. This area is the richest in Pliocene clay and slopes with a 10% gradient. The wine produced here is powerful, concentrated and tannic, with great character, longevity and structure. The lowermost rows, instead, grow on less clayey soil, thus producing a more generous and soft wine. This is the Masseto Junior area. In each of these three areas there are further sub-areas, each with different characteristics which demand special care and separate harvesting. This complexity is the reason for the many facets of this wine, which demands great care and commitment.
The vines are attentively cared for all year round; harvests for each plot are decided according to the ripening grapes maturation and laboratory tests. Each cluster of grapes is harvested separately in the early hours of the day, thus preserving their fragrance and enriching the complexity of the resulting bouquet. Bunches are carefully selected and destemmed and each berry is inspected and discarded if it shows any imperfection. The wine-making process is tailored to guarantee to each vineyard plot, to make it possible to control the expression of its character as loyally as possible. The base wines are produced from each area; and ferment separately and age in barriques. Afterwards, the wine is assembled: the winemaker Axel Heinz decides which base wines will be used to form Masseto. The main objective is to express both the unmistakable personality of Masseto and the uniqueness of the specific vintage. After blending, Masseto wine remains in the barriques for another year, continuing its ageing process until bottling.
The last vintage on the market is that of 2011. It obtained awards and high scores by all most important international critics (100/100 by James Suckling), thus guaranteeing a long-lasting success to this wine and stealing the scene from the 2001 vintage, which used to be considered the best. And 2011 was a warm and dry year and the harvest began earlier than average. Thanks to the almost perfect climatic conditions throughout the year, the grapes were very well balanced and had no trace of over-ripeness. The result is a typically Mediterranean wine from a warm Bolgheri terroir. Despite its concentration and maturity, a superb balance prevails. Its colour is deep and dark. This wine smells like an explosion of ripe fruit with chocolate and toasty tones, but it never tends to jammyness or cooked notes. The flavour is dense, broad, concentrated and opulent, with perfectly supple and glossy tannins concluding with a touch of freshness infused with the fruit and spice encountered on the nose. During our auction last May, we had the pleasure to present to our Clients a prestigious selection of wines from the Cantina Storica Masseto, with a special vertical from 1988 and 1993, three 6-litre bottles of 1998, 2004 and 2006, one 15-litre bottle of 2010 (no. 5 of the 20 bottles produced), three Magnums and two Double Magnums of the 2011 vintage.
By Luisa Bianconi