2021, Massetino, TOSCANA, Italy

Blend: Merlot, Cabernet Franc.

The 2021 Massetino is a supremely elegant and gracious wine. Silky tannins caress a core of blackberry, espresso, mocha, liquorice, cloves and lavender. All the elements are so nicely balanced in this super-appealing, racy second wine from Masseto. 94 Antonio Galloni. Vinous (2023).

Dried herbs and dried flowers on the nose with quite dominant oaky scents. Ripe black fruit and abundant tannins, not so rich or fleshy but massy in the mouth, wide, giving a large structure which supports the expression. This is smooth and bright with grip and intensity but you can really feel the alcohol here and it detracts from any kind of delicate nuance with toasted spices, coffee, dark chocolate and cedar at the fore. Heady and overt, powerful, though sleek and layered, the tannins are great and the fruit feels both cool and ripe but there's an underlying sense of heat from start to finish. Malolactic fermentation in French barriques (50% new) then 12 months ageing after which the 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc was blended and returned to barriques for three months before bottling.  Winemaker Gaia Cinnirella. 93 Georgina Hindle, Decanter (2023).

Drinking Window: 2026 - 2036