2016 is a textbook year for the Masseto, with a typically Tuscan coastal climate which saw a dry and sunny vegetative season, with abundant sunshine and the right one amount of rain for perfect ripeness. 2016 presents itself with a particular color intense and young, the intense aroma of ripe dark fruit blends with subtle cocoa notes spices. On the palate, the rich and dense structure of ripe and silky tannins is balanced by a fruity note sensual and vibrant and with a lively acidity that keeps the long finish clean and full-bodied.
To open a bottle, is to unleash a liquid kaleidoscope. A rare combination of sumptuous opulence and polished elegance.
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.
Robert Parker 100 Points
James Suckling 100 Points
About the Frescobaldi Family
For 700 years the Frescobaldi family has combined tradition, experience and innovation with creativity and the pursuit of excellence. The family has always looked to develop and celebrate the diversity of Tuscany’s terroir, being proud owners of some of the greatest vineyards in this region.
About Masseto
At Masseto, we try to do as little as possible to the wines. Our goal is simply to capture the essence of nature and take it to the highest level.This is about an amazing, very challenging, vineyard and wine made with great simplicity. We have tanks. We have barrels. We have gravity flow. And we have people who care about the wine. That’s it. That’s our philosophy.
Masseto is a rare, single vineyard wine made entirely from Merlot grapes grown on the vineyard bearing the same name. Located in the vaunted Bolgheri region of Tuscany, Masseto was first released in 1986 and quickly gained a reputation as one of the world’s most sought after and extremely allocated wines.
Where the Masseto vineyard now stands, there was once a coastal marsh centuries ago, over which clay deposits formed. The clay was covered by thick deposits of gravel, sand and rock fragments. This geologically diverse terroir is one reason Merlot thrives in the Masseto vineyard. Another contributor is the combination of Mediterranean sun and a gentle wind that keeps the temperatures moderate during the summer. Among the first people to realize the potential of the great terroir of the Masseto hill was the great Russian-American oenologist, André Tchelistcheff, who contributed to the conception of Masseto in the early 1980s. His vision is shared by the vineyard and winemaking staff who pay the utmost attention to every detail in the vineyard and winery.
From the beginning of the harvest to the release of Masseto, three intense years pass, marked by respect of nature and time, constant attention to detail and careful winemaking decisions that best express and respect Masseto’s character. The objective for winemaker Axel Heinz is to express both the unmistakable personality of Masseto and the specific character of the vintage.
2016 is a textbook year for the Masseto, with a typically Tuscan coastal climate which saw a dry and sunny vegetative season, with abundant sunshine and the right one amount of rain for perfect ripeness. 2016 presents itself with a particular color intense and young, the intense aroma of ripe dark fruit blends with subtle cocoa notes spices. On the palate, the rich and dense structure of ripe and silky tannins is balanced by a fruity note sensual and vibrant and with a lively acidity that keeps the long finish clean and full-bodied.
To open a bottle, is to unleash a liquid kaleidoscope. A rare combination of sumptuous opulence and polished elegance.
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.
Robert Parker 100 Points
James Suckling 100 Points
About the Frescobaldi Family
For 700 years the Frescobaldi family has combined tradition, experience and innovation with creativity and the pursuit of excellence. The family has always looked to develop and celebrate the diversity of Tuscany’s terroir, being proud owners of some of the greatest vineyards in this region.
About Masseto
At Masseto, we try to do as little as possible to the wines. Our goal is simply to capture the essence of nature and take it to the highest level.This is about an amazing, very challenging, vineyard and wine made with great simplicity. We have tanks. We have barrels. We have gravity flow. And we have people who care about the wine. That’s it. That’s our philosophy.
Masseto is a rare, single vineyard wine made entirely from Merlot grapes grown on the vineyard bearing the same name. Located in the vaunted Bolgheri region of Tuscany, Masseto was first released in 1986 and quickly gained a reputation as one of the world’s most sought after and extremely allocated wines.
Where the Masseto vineyard now stands, there was once a coastal marsh centuries ago, over which clay deposits formed. The clay was covered by thick deposits of gravel, sand and rock fragments. This geologically diverse terroir is one reason Merlot thrives in the Masseto vineyard. Another contributor is the combination of Mediterranean sun and a gentle wind that keeps the temperatures moderate during the summer. Among the first people to realize the potential of the great terroir of the Masseto hill was the great Russian-American oenologist, André Tchelistcheff, who contributed to the conception of Masseto in the early 1980s. His vision is shared by the vineyard and winemaking staff who pay the utmost attention to every detail in the vineyard and winery.
From the beginning of the harvest to the release of Masseto, three intense years pass, marked by respect of nature and time, constant attention to detail and careful winemaking decisions that best express and respect Masseto’s character. The objective for winemaker Axel Heinz is to express both the unmistakable personality of Masseto and the specific character of the vintage.
