“Masseto” Toscana IGT 2023

Masseto is a single-vineyard wine grown on a roughly seven-hectare parcel of blue Pliocene clay in the Bolgheri hills of coastal Tuscany, at elevations around 120 metres above sea level. The 2023 vintage is made entirely from Merlot and carries 14.0% alcohol by volume, somewhat lower than preceding vintages. The 2023 growing season in Bolgheri began with mild winter weather and early budbreak, followed by spring rains that reduced yields, then a hot and dry summer that allowed the remaining fruit to ripen with precision and energy. Grapes are hand-harvested into small crates, sorted on a double sorting table before and after destemming, and each parcel is vinified separately with fermentation in tank followed by malolactic fermentation and ageing in French oak barriques. The resulting wine is dense in colour, with a structured tannic frame and fresh acidity that suggest a long ageing trajectory.