Masseto is the most collectible wine of Tuscany. The pure Merlot from the wine estate of Tenuta dell’Ornellaia attracts the most attention from wine collectors all over the world, and it consistently fetches some of the highest prices in global wine auctions.
It should come as no surprise that many serious wine lovers, from Hong Kong to Milan to London to Los Angeles, consider Masseto the Petrus of Italy. That’s high praise indeed, considering Petrus is arguably Bordeaux’s most famous and one of the most expensive wines.
I remember a tasting in Florence in 2004 when I sat next to the owner of Petrus, Jean-Francois Moueix, tasting the two wines side by side, and he exclaimed that Masseto was more than just a brother of his famous Pomerol – it is the “twin.”
Production is about 3,000 cases. It comes from two main vineyards on the Ornellaia estate: Masseto and Vigna Vecchia. The Masseto vineyard is what makes the big difference. The slopped vineyard is divided into three parts: Masseto Junior, Masseto and Masseto Alto. In total, the three parcels total about 16 acres. The seaside microclimate of the costal region of Bolgheri certainly has its influence, as well as the clay soil of the vineyards.
The wine is made in the Ornellaia winery, but a new winery is planned for Masseto. It should be located in the Masseto vineyard.
Check out the video with Ornellaia estate manager Leonardo Raspini and winemaker Axel Heinz.
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