MASSETO 2014

Masseto 2014

“The 2014 Masseto has developed beautifully over the past few years of its oak and bottle evolution. This is a very distinctive edition of the iconic Italian Merlot that delivers a silky and streamlined approach. As bold and opulent as Masseto is in the warm vintages, I personally find those wines difficult to finish because the extract, concentration and intensity are so over the top. The best vintages of Masseto usually overpower any food dish you put before them. This is a subdued and downplayed expression instead. The cool summer season has shaped fresh berry notes of wild blackberry and cassis with drying mineral, tobacco, licorice and tar. There is evident sweetness here in terms of the wine’s fruit flavors and its tannins, but there also is a cooling vein of acidity that makes the difference. The alcohol feels integrated and light. If you are hankering for a less massive and less muscular Masseto, this vintage is for you.” – 94/100, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

VARIETIES: 100% Merlot
REGION: Italy / Central Italy / Toscana
AGEING: Malolactic fermentation started in 100% new oak barriques, and the different lots were kept separate for the first 12 months of maturation. The wine was then assembled and reintroduced into the barriques for another year. After bottling, the wine was aged for an additional 12 months prior to release
GUARDING POTENTIAL: Enjoy now or will cellar well up to 25 years
SERVE: Serve at 16 – 18ºC
FITS TO: Pair it with a Juicy Rib-eye, Slow-roasted Beef with Vegetables, Vincisgrassi or a Wild Boar Ragout with Cinnamon & Cloves
CRITICS SCORES: 97/JS, 94/WS, 94/RP
VIVINO: Average 4.7 ★★★★✰

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2014 | Vintage | Masseto

The 2014 vintage will remain as one of the most particular in Masseto’s history. A warm and rainy winter was followed by a mild, dry spring that permitted a normal vegetative development with a timely and even flowering.

After regular conditions in July, August was rainy and cold, creating difficulty for the grapes to ripen and increasing the risk of diseases. However, the meticulous work carried out in the vineyard, including leaf removal and treatments throughout the month of August, allowed the grapes to arrive in excellent condition for harvest in September and October when the weather was mostly sunny and dry.

The blue clays of Masseto showed their capacity to a full by swelling and making the soils impenetrable, thus avoiding excessive accumulation of water and the dilution of the grapes.

During the harvest a very careful selection of bunches was essential and some specific vineyard blocks were harvested in up to three different stages. A strict selection was also made on the sorting table, to fill the tanks with only perfect grapes.

2014 represents to date the latest and longest harvest in the history of Masseto. Starting on 5th September and ending on 7th October.