Wine Advisor
Masseto, Masseto 2020
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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
Tasted from barrel, the 2020 Masseto is beautifully full and generous with concentrated black fruit, rich texture and soft tannins. There are distant hints of pencil shaving and crushed peppercorn that come from the very small (from 6% to 7%) part of Cabernet Franc that is blended into this Merlot from blue clay soils. We will also see a small part of Cabernet Franc in the 2021 vintage. The oak management is superb. Masseto finishes in medium-toast oak from various coopers, mostly Taransaud (T5) and Seguin-Moreau (Icône) with a tiny percentage of Nadalié. The 2020 promises an exuberant and immediate approach next to the very precise, focused and long-term 2019. It also has that 360-degree abundance that we saw in the unforgettable 2015 vintage.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2020 Masseto is superb. Bright and vibrant in the glass, the 2020 offers up an exciting mix of dark-toned fruit, mocha, spice, leather, tobacco, cedar and a kiss of French oak. Lively acids and Franc aromatics lend vibrancy throughout. The Franc is so evident today. This is exceptionally polished and sophisticated, albeit a touch slender relative to most years. In 2020, Masseto is more finesse than power.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
Intense aromas of ripe herbs, plums, green coffee beans, and hazelnuts. Turns to crushed berries and orange peel. Full-bodied with superb concentration and fine, velvety tannins that run the length of the wine. It's big but agile and gorgeous. Merlot. What a wine! Best after 2030.
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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