{"product_id":"2021-masseto-massetino-tuscany-case-of-3-btls","title":"2021 Masseto Massetino, Tuscany, Case of 3 Btls","description":"RP96 The Masseto 2021 Massetino is mostly Merlot with a touch of Cabernet Franc for good measure. The wine (packaged in a heavy glass bottle) is very richly concentrated and layered. You see (and taste) the opulent texture of the wine as it slowly coats the glass. Quality fruit is matched by carefully selected oak, and the intensity of both builds on the palate. This vintage is poised for especially long cellar aging. This vintage of Massetino (2021) scores neck-in-neck with the current vintage (2020) of Masseto. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nJS96 Sweet berries with violet and rose aromas. Raspberries. So perfumed. Medium-bodied with very fine velvety tannins that run the length of the wine. Vibrant at the end. Second wine of Masseto. Best ever. Drink in 2027 but already a joy to taste. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nJD95+ A deep but transparent red color, the 2021 Massetino is harmonious and pure with aromas of polished leather, red apple, Amarena cherry, violets, and fresh rosemary. It’s penetrating on the palate, with outstanding freshness within this full-bodied red, offering ripe tannins, refreshing acidity, and very nice structure. It boasts a beautiful and clean mineral flourish on the very long and even finish, with a hint of warmth and cocoa on the back palate. It is fabulous already without anything sticking out and captures the warmth of the vintage with a graceful approach, while its liqueur-like fruit lasts for ages on the finish. A fantastic vintage for this wine, drink 2025-2045.\u003c!--more--\u003eThe adjacent sister property to Ornellaia, the Masseto estate in Bolgheri produces benchmark wines based on Merlot, with its first vintage in 1987. As noted in this report’s introduction and in the Ornellaia profile, 2023 saw the departure of long-time winemaker and estate director Axel Heinz. Winemaker Gaia Cinnirella is staying on and shows tremendous promise for the estate. Their new winery, which debuted in 2018, was designed by architects Hikaru Mori and Maurizio Zito of the ZitoMori Studio, who named it “The Quarry.” It’s an impressive design, with the exterior blending into the landscape, only to reveal its true grandeur upon entering the winery beneath. One feature of the new winery has been moving away from using stainless steel, which they found could contribute to reductive qualities. Instead, 20 to 25% of the wine is now fermented in concrete tanks, with the remainder in oak barrels. The concrete also takes on some of the qualities of barrel fermentation, without adding the additional flavors that barrels would contribute. The oldest vines are currently approaching 40 years old, and in newer vintages, Cabernet Franc they planted more recently has been making its way into the wines. My tasting took place at the winery with Gaia Cinnirella.","brand":"Masseto","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48794955546861,"sku":"ITY:MAS:TINO-PK03-2021-F0L0C0","price":995.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"url":"https:\/\/grandcruliquidassets.com\/products\/2021-masseto-massetino-tuscany-case-of-3-btls","provider":"Grand Cru Liquid Assets","version":"1.0","type":"link"}