Wines from Tenuta Masseto

History

Masseto grew out of Tenuta dell'Ornellaia in Bolgheri, on the Tuscan coast. Marchese Lodovico Antinori founded Ornellaia with the winemaker Tibor Gal, planted the first vines in 1981 and made the first vintage in 1985. A modern cellar followed in 1987, and a Merlot grown on one hill was made separately from 1986.

The estate changed hands in the following years. Robert Mondavi took a minority share in 1999 and became the full owner by 2002, and in 2005 the Frescobaldi family bought the remaining shares. In 2012 the winery was renamed Ornellaia e Masseto, which tells you how important the Merlot had become. Michel Rolland, involved since the early days, still advises as consulting oenologist.

The land and the vineyards

The Masseto vineyard sits on a hill above the Tyrrhenian Sea in the Bolgheri hills near Castagneto Carducci, surrounded by umbrella pines, old olive groves and the wild scrub the Tuscans call macchia. The estate speaks of a few people from different backgrounds who saw what this land could do, when local habits pointed elsewhere.

Under the vines lies an old seabed. The soil is a blue clay from the Pliocene, full of marine fossils, hard as stone and yet fragile. Folding of the earth pushed it up to the surface. The sea also shapes the site through reflected light, cooling breezes and its influence on the roots. Published figures for the vineyard vary, and the most common one is about seven hectares.

The wines

Masseto is a wine made from Merlot alone, produced since 1986. Its family name comes from the vineyard, and the label is now treated as an estate in its own right. Massetino is the second wine, a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, made since the 2017 vintage.

The blue clay is the feature the estate points to first when it talks about the wine.

Today

The Frescobaldi family owns Masseto, and the winery is based in Castagneto Carducci. The estate describes its approach as patience, precision and daily observation of the land, from vineyard to cellar. It is a good bottle for anyone who wants to taste what Merlot can do on the Tuscan coast.

Founded

Vineyards planted 1981 (Ornellaia); Merlot wine from 1986

Area

About 7 ha (published figures vary)

Main grapes

Merlot

Owners

Frescobaldi family (since 2005)