![]() This is a vintage of enormous richness and density, and everything about the wine is taken up a notch or two (including the bottle glass weight and the 15% alcohol content). The 2020 Masseto now sees new DNA with a touch of Cabernet Franc added to this celebrated Merlot-based icon wine. After bottling, the Masseto 2020 underwent a further 12 months of bottle ageing before release. Subsequently, the wines were blended and returned to barriques for another year, totalling 24 months. ![]() Malolactic fermentation took place in barriques, with 100% new oak, keeping the various batches separate for the first 12 months of ageing. Fermentation took place spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, with pumping over two or three times a day. Each individual parcel of the vineyard was vinified separately. The Merlot harvest was completed on the 14th of September, followed almost immediately by the Cabernet Franc harvest, which ended on the 16th of September.Īfter destemming and gentle crushing, the grapes were transferred to concrete tanks by gravity, without any pumping. They were harvested early and quickly in order to preserve their freshness as much as possible, and just in time to avoid a sudden week-long heat wave, in which temperatures soared to 37 degrees. Rain arrived at the end of August, leading to a considerable drop in temperatures, with overnight lows sometimes falling to 13 degrees, creating the ideal conditions for completing the ripening of the Merlot grapes. Veraison took place evenly and quickly between the 20th and 25th of July, triggering the ripening of the grapes under a blazing sun. A passage of heavy rain towards the middle of June was followed by a very long dry period with a substantial absence of rain and scorching temperatures until the end of August. The weather was generally warm during the rest of spring, with normal rainfall, ensuring regular vegetative development until blossoming, which took place between the 20th and 25th of May. Fortunately, the new shoots were still protected by the downy tissue around the bud, which prevented frost damage. The 2020 vintageĪfter a mild and rainy winter, there was a temporary drop in temperatures in March, with a few nights below zero degrees just when the vines began to bud in the last week of the month. ![]() The 2001 vintage was the first to receive the perfect 100 points sealing the wine’s fate as a collectible. The first vintage was released in 1986 to immediate acclaim and Masseto’s reputation has kept increasing year on year. Masseto may have been in the shadow of Ornellaia for some time however, it has now gained the fame it deserves and is the ultimate expression of a single vineyard planted with a single variety. A second wine, Massetino, has been produced since 2017. The site has also been extended however, the production for Masseto has remained the same at around 30,000 bottles. Wines are fermented with indigenous yeasts, micro plots are fermented separately and maturation in French oak has been extended. For three decades, Masseto has raised from its humble beginning to become one of the most sought-after wines on the planet and a true myth for collectors.ĭue to global warming, the vinification has evolved throughout the years. He looked beyond local winemaking traditions and saw the potential of the land where the unique blue and grey clay soils are well exposed to the sun while cool down by the maritime winds. Lodovico was dissuaded by locals to undertake the vineyard, however, he followed his guts and created an absolute masterpiece. Even following the recent price growth, Super Tuscans are still attractively valued compared to their counterparts in Bordeaux.įounded by Lodovico Antinori (who created Ornellaia) in 1981, Masseto is known to be a wine that shouldn't exist. ![]() Italy overall has posted impressive price returns in recent years, with Super Tuscans in poll position. Tuscan wines are the ones to watch when it comes to investment.
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