Bordeaux Theme
Live Virtual Auction, 26 June 2022
Bordeaux Theme
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT
About this Item
Masseto is a unique and magical place, surrounded by forests and caressed by sea breezes. It lies on Italy’s Tuscan coast, overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea near the small village of Bolgheri, on an unlikely slope, planted entirely to Merlot. Blessed with the presence of blue clay, Masseto wines are known for their unmistakable character. According to Masseto, their wines were never meant to exist, as planting vines on that unused hillside was against all advice and local tradition. Fortuitously, the potential of the site was seen in the 1980s and the first vines were planted. The winemaking is kept very simple. Their goal is simply to capture the essence of nature and take it to the highest level. The entire project is all about their amazing, very challenging vineyard and making wine with great simplicity. It is one of the most famous Super Tuscan wines and is made by Tenuta dell'Ornellaia. The wine is known for its aromatic complexity, opulent fruit and tannic structure, and is consistently regarded as one of the top wines in the world with auction prices to match. It is classified as IGT Toscana.
Critics Ratings
‘The nose is really coming together here, revealing ripe, sweet cherry, blackberry, cedar, graphite and spice notes. Powerful, yet retains a sense of elegance, with a smooth texture and a terrific aftertaste that echoes dark cherry, cigar box and spice elements. Merlot. Best from 2020 through 2038.’ - Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator, 97/100 (Oct 2017)
‘From Italy’s most celebrated 7-hectare plot of Merlot, the 2011 Masseto is a wine of grand and lofty ambitions that happily materialize in the glass. This wine delivers on all the many promises it makes. First is the exceptional quality of the bouquet with seamless integration of dark fruit to spice, to chocolate, to Mediterranean herb. The aromas are presented in a kaleidoscope effect so that many bright colors blend into one. Second, is the mouthfeel that is as supple, rich and persistent as you should expect of a wine of this pedigree. Lastly, is the wine’s aging potential that is already evident in terms of the integrated acidity and the richness of the tannins. In fact, the tannins are absolutely gorgeous here: They are silky, refined and delightful.’ - Monica Larner, Wine Advocate, 95/100 (Oct 2014)
Provenance
Private Client
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