Tenuta dell´Ornellaia - Masseto 2018

DECANTER: "In 2018, the bright intensity of both aroma and flavour here is intoxicating. The wine is dark crimson in colour with savoury aromas of plums, bramble fruits and black cherry highlighted by graphite minerality. The subdued character of the new French oak confirms the outstanding fruit concentration. Dense, full, smooth and velvety with great extraction on the mid-palate, it is delicious now but not without the balance to age for decades, improving in complexity as it goes. Drinking Window 2021 - 2040"

FALSTAFF: "Kraftvolles Rubin mit violetten Nuancen. Intensive und einladende Noten nach köstlichem Nougat, dunklen Brombeeren und Zwetschken, dazu feine Kräuterwürze, etwas Kardamom. Am Gaumen viel Schmelz, präsente, dunkelbeerige Frucht, öffnet sich mit dichtem, feinmaschigem Tannin, ausgewogen und finessenreich, im Finale satter Druck und langer Nachhall."

ANTONIO GALLONI: "The 2018 Masseto is going to be an absolute thrill for readers who follow this iconic Bolgheri Merlot. Silky, mid-weight and supremely gracious, the 2018 reminds me of the 2004 in its aromatic intensity and classic, refined feel. Inky red/purplish fruit, cedar, lavender, espresso, sage and mint are some of the many aromas and flavors that develop with time in the glass. There is so much to like here. More than anything else, I am struck by how ripe and well balanced the tannins are, something that is rare for Masseto, especially in the early going, when the wine can be a bit burly. As was the case throughout Tuscany, the 2018 Masseto is the product of a cool year with a fair amount of rain in August. The 2018 was made from all of the key vineyard plots, minus the young vine replants. It is the first vintage made at the estate’s new winery, which is equipped with concrete fermenters that allow for more flexibility in extraction. Aging was 24 months in French oak, 100% new"

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Saturated ruby colour. Bold and succulent on the nose, with poached plums and roasted dark cherries bursting forth. There are also tones of espresso and dark chocolate, as well as a little pepper. The palate is rippling with muscle, the mouth-coating and dense tannins providing ample structure for fruit that is both intense and deep. Ripe black fruit, cinnamon and sweet baking spices all come through. This is hedonistic, full-throttle Merlot, but despite the ripeness and power it is not overblown. Very impressive and very long."

JAMES SUCKLING: "This is extremely perfumed with flowers, cherries and blackberries, as well as hints of lavender. It’s full-bodied, yet so refined, linear and racy. Pure silk. The texture is every so polished. Succulent and subtle fruit at the end. New wood showing now. A sophisticated Masseto that shows balance and harmony. Builds with tannins at the finish. Needs time to come completely together. Try after 2025."

THE WINEADVOCATE: "The 2018 Masseto is the vintage surprise few of us could have expected. The season saw rains just before harvest, and vintners were forced into dramatic last-minute decisions and risks. The expert team at Masseto navigated those challenges with deft precision in this first vintage executed in the new winery that is now fully dedicated and engineered to fulfill the expectations of this iconic Merlot from coastal Tuscany. The new gravity-flow building has angular concrete fermentors and an old-fashioned basket press. Dark fruit and ripe blackberry bleed slowly into spice, leather, chocolate and sweet tobacco. The wine shows generous extraction and concentration; however, it remains light and lifted throughout. Welcome Masseto into your new home."

WEINWISSER: "Der Masseto ist der berühmteste, reinsortige Merlot Italiens und erreichte als 2018er 14,5 vol.-%. Er verfügt über eine dunkle, leuchtend frische Farbe. Sehr duftige, jugendlich frische und hochverführerische Nase mit viel Frucht und saftigem Schmelz bei sehr feinem, differenziertem Fruchtspiel. Im Mund begeistert der 2018er Masseto mit superfeinen Gerbstoffen, grandioser Frische und grosser Komplexität. Trotz seiner unglaublichen Kraft und Intensität ist der Masseto dennoch fein und elegant, mit ausgezeichnetem Schliff. Toller, saftiger Körper mit distinguierten Gerbstoffen, engmaschig, lang und immer präsent, frisch und mit feinem Säurerückhalt. Ein großer Masseto mit ausgezeichneter Balance. Könnte mit Reife die perfekte Note erreichen."

WINESPECTATOR: "Rich and solidly built, this red features black cherry, plum, cedar, vanilla and toasty oak aromas and flavors. A line of refined tannins marks the finish, yet overall this is balanced, remarkably fresh and expressive. Merlot. Best from 2024 through 2043."