Wine Advisor
Masseto, Masseto 2001
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Description
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.
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2001 Masseto lives up to its reputation as a modern-day legend. The wine has everything; beautifully delineated aromatics, generous fruit and plenty of structure to support all of the elements. It is a big, massive Masseto endowed with huge fruit and an exotic, powerful personality. An eternal finish rounds things out in style. The 2001 is dazzling from start to finish. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2023.
Reviewed by: Daniel Thomases
The massive 2001 Masseto forms with Le Macchiole’s Messorio and Tua Rita’s Redigaffi a trio of world class Merlots in a ten square mile area where the variety virtually did not exist 15 years ago. The volume, richness, and sumptuousness are almost beyond description, as are the length and density of the flow and finish, but there is an underlying vein of purity and freshness which help maintain an impeccable balance. Drink: 2006-2025. Importer: Folio Fine Wine Partners, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 256-2700
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
In just a few short years the 2001 Masseto has become one of Italy’s most collectible wines, and this tasting confirmed that it is fully deserving of the accolades it has received. The 2001 is an extraordinary Masseto, bursting with layers of vibrant fruit intermingled with finely nuanced suggestions of minerals, menthol and eucalyptus. Boasting superb concentration and length on the palate, it is a powerful wine that is in need of at least another few years of cellaring. 97/Anticipated maturity: 2011-2021. The 100% Merlot Masseto, on the other hand, has proven to be a wine of greater singularity. Its unique, unmistakable personality always comes through, especially in a set of widely diverse vintages, as this vertical attests. The Masseto vineyard measures roughly 7 hectares. Set on a gently sloping hill, the vineyard is divided into three sections which contain different clay-based soil types. The structure of Masseto comes from the central portion of the vineyard (Masseto Centrale), where the terrain is most compact. Towards the upper part of the hillside (Masseto Alto) the soils contain a higher percentage of rocks and thus yield wines that are more aromatic. The lower stretch of the vineyard, known as “Masseto Junior,” is also the most recent to be planted. According to Raspini the fruit from these vines bridges the qualities of the wines from the central and upper portions of the vineyard and thus serves to give Masseto its finesse and balance. There is also a small amount of fruit that comes from the “Vigna Vecchia” plot which is the source of the Merlot that is used for Ornellaia. Each parcel is harvested and vinified separately. Fermentation and maceration typically last around 25 days, give or take, depending on the quality of the fruit, after which the wines are moved into 100% new French oak barrels for the malolactic fermentations. The wines spend 12 months in oak prior to being assembled, after which the final blend spends an additional 12 months in oak prior to being bottled. Tenuta dell’Ornellaia is without question one of Italy’s blue-chip properties. The gorgeous, sprawling estate is located in Bolgheri in Tuscany’s Maremma. On a recent visit I had the opportunity to taste a number of the estate’s wines with General Manager/Agronomist Leonardo Raspini and Oenologist Axel Heinz, including verticals of the estate’s top bottlings Ornellaia and Masseto.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
In just a few short years the 2001 Masseto has become one of Italy's most collectible wines, and this tasting confirmed that it is fully deserving of the accolades it has received. The 2001 is an extraordinary Masseto, bursting with layers of vibrant fruit intermingled with finely nuanced suggestions of minerals, menthol and eucalyptus. Boasting superb concentration and length on the palate, it is a powerful wine that is in need of at least another few years of cellaring.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
This has an intense nose of brown sugar, porcini mushrooms, dark fruits, tobacco, olives, cigar box... I am running out of words to describe the nose. The palate is full bodied and ultra rich. This is a monumental wine that arouses all your senses. Truly exotic and sensual. Enjoy this for the rest of your life. Find the wine
Reviewed by: James Suckling
This is clearly a perfect wine and just now starting to open and show you its sheer beauty. It's balanced with fascinating rosemary and dark fruit character that turns to plums and light chocolate. The undertones on the nose remind me of walking through the Masseto vineyard during a cool summer's morning. It finally softens at the finish and shows a stunning fruit and acid tension. Finally softening and showing it true greatness. Decant four hours before.
About the Producer
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. The Masseto hill is a special place, both a revelation and a mystery. This is where terroir victoriously transcends the grape varieties and where the blue clays of the Pliocene Era tell their ancient story. Millions of years ago a deep marine substrate was deposited which transformed gradually into blue clay that came to the surface on this hill after thousands of years of erosion. The shells and fossils found imbedded in the clays are testimony to this. With a heart as hard as stone and yet with an intriguing fragility, the clay knows just how to adjust to its environment & climate. This contrast is reflected in the intense power and silky elegance to be found in Masseto.
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