Wine Advisor
Masseto, Masseto 2011
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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: Monica Larner
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 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. It’s not the greatest Masseto ever made, but it performs beautifully nonetheless.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2011 Masseto is very clearly the product of a warm year. In that sense, it reminds me of the 2003. Black cherry, mocha, chocolate, licorice, espresso and smoke are all super concentrated. The intense heat of the year is also felt in the wine’s large-scaled tannins. Overall, this is a very good wine for the year. When it comes to extreme vintages, however, there is no question Masseto does better in cooler, not hotter, years. Extremely warm, dry conditions resulted in a harvest that started on August 25 and was finished by September 1, the earliest on record here.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Raspberry jam, white flowers, mint and spices flesh out in the 2011 Masseto. Ripe and flashy to the core, the 2011 saturates the palate with layers of expressive fruit. Having tasted the 2011 now several times, my sense is that this is a vintage in which blending grapes (a la Ornellaia) could have been a help. Then again, even the weakest vintages of Masseto have aged impeccably, so time will tell. Ultimately, though, I don't see the 2011 as one of the all-time great Massetos.
Reviewed by: Ian d'Agata
Deep purple-tinged ruby. Sexy aromas of violet, licorice, truffle and earth, complicated by vanilla and coffee nuances. Densely packed and tightly wound but not at all hard in spite of its rather sharp, chewy tannins. The fleshy black fruit, cocoa and coffee flavors are extremely ripe. This full-bodied, very rich wine finishes firm and long, with some telltale hints of a hot vintage (slightly tough tannins and almost port-like fruit). Though Masseto is a great wine most years and is still outstanding in 2011, hot vintages are not its strong suit as merlot suffers greatly in such conditions. This Masseto is a solid example of what is perhaps the greatest merlot wine made outside Pomerol but is nowhere near the level of great Masseto vintages like 2001 and 2004.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2011 Masseto is very clearly the product of a warm year. In that sense, it reminds me of the 2003. Black cherry, mocha, chocolate, licorice, espresso and smoke are all super concentrated. The intense heat of the year is also felt in the wine’s large-scaled tannins. Overall, this is a very good wine for the year. When it comes to extreme vintages, however, there is no question Masseto does better in cooler, not hotter, years. Extremely warm, dry conditions resulted in a harvest that started on August 25 and was finished by September 1, the earliest on record here.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
Wow. Fabulous aromas of currants, rosemary, mint and orange peel. Perfect nose. Full body with perfectly integrated tannins. It's long and incredible with tangerine, toasted-oak, berry, terracotta and chocolate flavors. It lasts for minutes on the palate. This needs at least five years to soften but so spellbinding now.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
Wow. Fabulous aromas of currants, rosemary, mint and orange peel. Perfect nose. Full body with perfectly integrated tannins. It's long and incredible with tangerine, toasted-oak, berry, terracotta and chocolate flavors. It lasts for minutes on the palate. This needs at least five years to soften but so spellbinding now.
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.
1992(2)1994(1)1995(2)1996(2)1997(1)1998(3)1999(4)2000(1)2001(3)2002(5)2003(5)2004(8)2005(5)2006(7)2007(6)2008(9)2009(9)2010(7)
Package Size
1 x 1.5L1 x 15L
