New Masseto Release: Tuscany’s Elite Super Tuscan and Massetino it’s Not- so-little sibling!

Masseto stands as one of Italy’s most revered and collectible wines, born from a single hill of blue clay in Bolgheri on the Tuscan coast. The estate’s story began in the 1980s when Lodovico Antinori (whose newest wines Tenuta Del Nicchio we recently featured) —driven by vision and intuition—planted Merlot in a place once thought too warm for the variety. The result defied expectation: a wine of profound richness, balance, and individuality. With the early guidance of André Tchelistcheff and later Michel Rolland, Masseto quickly rose from an experimental vineyard to a world benchmark for Italian fine wine. Its inaugural vintage, 1986, announced a new chapter in Tuscan winemaking, one that rivaled Bordeaux’s greatest estates while remaining deeply rooted in Italian identity.

The wine is crafted entirely from Merlot grown on a single 7-hectare vineyard divided into small parcels, each vinified separately to preserve the nuance of the terroir. The

blue Pliocene clay soils, combined with the coastal light and breezes of the Tyrrhenian Sea, create an ideal tension between ripeness and structure. After fermentation, the wine ages for about two years in new French oak barriques, followed by additional refinement in bottle before release. Every stage of production—from vineyard management to cellar work—is executed with an obsessive precision that reflects Masseto’s philosophy: absolute respect for nature, patience, and pursuit of purity.

Today, Masseto stands among the most coveted wines in Europe, a symbol of Italian luxury and craftsmanship on par with Petrus or Le Pin. It has achieved cult status not only for its quality but also for its exclusivity and consistency across vintages. Collectors and connoisseurs alike regard it as the pinnacle of modern Italian winemaking—a wine that bridges power and poetry, sensuality and intellect. In the world of fine wine, Masseto represents the moment when Italy claimed its rightful place amongst wine investment funds and historic French negociants alongside Bordeaux and Burgundy at the summit of global prestige.

For the 2022 vintage, the vineyard team managed the season with precision: winter was average, spring was cool and dry delaying growth slightly, while summer brought intense heat (peaks around 35 °C and many dry days) balanced by late summer/early autumn rains and cool nights in September that preserved freshness in the grapes. Harvest began 6 September and extended into early October; the grapes are hand-picked in 15 kg crates, destemmed and gently pressed, then vinified parcel by parcel, with spontaneous (indigenous yeast) fermentation at ~25-28 °C, maceration of 21-28 days, then malolactic in 100 % new French oak barriques. After first year ageing separately by parcel, the lots are blended and return to oak for a second year (total 24 months in barriques), then spend ~12 months in bottle before release.

Masseto 2022

3 Pack (3 btls 750ml) Special Price $3,299.99

Magnum Special Price $2,549.99

Massetino, first released in 2019, is the second wine of the legendary Masseto estate, crafted with the same meticulous care and from the same terroir that defines its iconic sibling. It was created to express the character of the estate in a more immediate, approachable form, blending primarily Merlot with a small proportion of Cabernet Franc to enhance structure and aromatic complexity. The grapes are sourced from younger vines and select parcels on the Masseto hill, then vinified and aged in French oak barrels—partly new—for around 12 months. This process preserves the estate’s signature depth and polish while emphasizing energy, freshness, and elegance.

Though conceived as a “second wine,” Massetino has quickly earned its own reputation among Europe’s and Italy’s elite. It captures the unmistakable DNA of Masseto—silken texture, layered fruit, and coastal vibrancy—but with a more youthful and expressive personality. In just a few vintages, it has become a sought-after collectible in its own right, praised by critics for its precision and poise. Massetino stands as both a gateway to the grandeur of Masseto and a testament to the estate’s uncompromising philosophy: that every bottle bearing the name must embody the same level of artistry and excellence that defines Bolgheri’s most celebrated hill.

Massetino 2023 vintage follows the same rigorous standards as its older sibling. The blend is approximately 91% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc. The wine was made using hand-harvesting, parcel-by-parcel vinification (often in concrete or small vats), spontaneous (indigenous) yeast fermentation at ~25–28°C, maceration around 21-25 days, followed by malolactic in barrels (around 50% new oak), aging 12 months in barrel, then additional months before bottling.

It has a deep ruby to purplish hue. The bouquet presents a rich array of ripe red and dark fruits—black cherry, plum, fresh raspberry—alongside cocoa and dark chocolate, cedar/cedarwood, graphite, and subtle violet or floral hints. It’s silky yet powerful. The fruit concentration is evident, balanced by fine-grained tannins, good acidity, and a saline/mineral edge from the coastal terroir. The mid-palate is dense but elegant, finishing long, with notes of licorice, tobacco, faint wood spice and a chalky, persistent finish. 

Massetino 2023

3 Pack (3 btls 750ml) Special Price $1,199.99

*All the wines above are on US and available later in December