Masseto Toscana IGT 2018 [1.5 L Magnum]
(Tuscany, Italy) - [DM 99] [VM 98] [JS 98] [WA 97] [WS 96]

About the Winery:

As a tribute to its rugged force, its softness, and the debt it owes to the soil from which it rises, Masseto was named after the rock-hard clusters of blue clay called ‘massi’ that form on the vineyard’s surface.

Climate & Vintage

After the drought vintage 2017, winter 2018 seemed to indicate that things were getting back to the norm, with cold weather and even few days of snow which we had not seen for years. Things changed quickly from March onwards with one of the rainiest springs in Masseto’s history. At the same time temperatures, particularly in April, were higher than average, which led to a rapid vegetative growth, culminating in flowering which occurred one full week earlier than normal. Precise timing and presence of all our workforce was required to keep pace with the vines and operate shoot thinning and positioning of the canopy. While temperatures came back to the norm in May, the high amount of rain created a high level of disease pressure, especially for downy mildew, which put the nerves of vine growers to the test for the rest of the growing season. Only through perfect organization and capacity to enter the vineyard for spraying in the few days without rain was it possible to get control of the disease keeping canopies and grapes healthy. In July mostly sunny and warm weather allowed for a little rest before véraison stepped in timely around the 22 July. August was warm with a bit of rain around the 15th, which prevented the appearance of any major hydric stress. Sugars and acidity moved at a slow pace while berry sizes grew a bit more than usual. Harvest started on 31st August with the youngest gobelet-trained vines and then stopped for one week until we started picking the older vines from the 6th September onwards. Differences between parcels within Masseto were particularly marked, leading to a very long harvest that was concluded only on 4th October and yielded 9 different vinification lots.

Vinification & Ageing

Tasting Notes

The Masseto 2018 is a wine that perfectly respects its unique terroir and the vintage. Dark in color, with an expressive nose of perfectly ripe cherries, plums, and spicy new oak. The palate is broad and rich as one would expect from Masseto, but shows refined and silky texture that is so typical of 2018. The finish shows great length with a touch of refreshing tannic grip. A particularly elegant version of Masseto that combines richness and elegance..

Ratings & Reviews

99 Points - Decanter Magazine:
"This is a showstopper of a wine, and one of the wines of the tasting. Lots of power here but the tannins just glide across the palate, gently with sophistication, with the dense and dark fruit covering the mouth and lingering. Round, ripe and juicy with excellent acidity that enhances the mineral undertones and spicy sides. Extremely well made by winemaker Axel Heinz and one that you just want another glass of immediately. Malolactic fermentation in 100% new oak barrique barrels, keeping the various lots separate for the first 12 months of ageing. The wines are then blended and put back in barrels for another year, totalling 24 months before bottling. Wines are then kept for an additional 12 months before being released." - GH (Jul 2021)

98 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2018 Masseto is going to be an absolute thrill for readers who follow this iconic Bolgheri Merlot. Silky, mid-weight and supremely gracious, the 2018 reminds me of the 2004 in its aromatic intensity and classic, refined feel. Inky red/purplish fruit, cedar, lavender, espresso, sage and mint are some of the many aromas and flavors that develop with time in the glass. There is so much to like here. More than anything else, I am struck by how ripe and well balanced the tannins are, something that is rare for Masseto, especially in the early going, when the wine can be a bit burly.

As was the case throughout Tuscany, the 2018 Masseto is the product of a cool year with a fair amount of rain in August. The 2018 was made from all of the key vineyard plots, minus the young vine replants. It is the first vintage made at the estate’s new winery, which is equipped with concrete fermenters that allow for more flexibility in extraction. Aging was 24 months in French oak, 100% new." - Antonio Galloni (Feb 2021)

98 Points - James Suckling:
"This is extremely perfumed with flowers, cherries and blackberries, as well as hints of lavender. It’s full-bodied, yet so refined, linear and racy. Pure silk. The texture is every so polished. Succulent and subtle fruit at the end. New wood showing now. A sophisticated Masseto that shows balance and harmony. Builds with tannins at the finish. Needs time to come completely together. Try after 2025." (Aug 2021) 

97 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
"The 2018 Masseto is the vintage surprise few of us could have expected. The season saw rains just before harvest, and vintners were forced into dramatic last-minute decisions and risks. The expert team at Masseto navigated those challenges with deft precision in this first vintage executed in the new winery that is now fully dedicated and engineered to fulfill the expectations of this iconic Merlot from coastal Tuscany. The new gravity-flow building has angular concrete fermentors and an old-fashioned basket press. Dark fruit and ripe blackberry bleed slowly into spice, leather, chocolate and sweet tobacco. The wine shows generous extraction and concentration; however, it remains light and lifted throughout. Welcome Masseto into your new home." - Monica Larner (May 2021)

96 Points - Wine Spectator Magazine:
"Rich and solidly built, this red features black cherry, plum, cedar, vanilla and toasty oak aromas and flavors. A line of refined tannins marks the finish, yet overall this is balanced, remarkably fresh and expressive. Merlot. Best from 2024 through 2043. 300 cases imported." - BS (Oct 2021)