In homage to its vigor, its softness and its enormous debt
to the land from which it originates,
Masseto owes its name to the hard blocks of blue clay,
called ‘massi’, that form on the surface of the vineyard.
Masseto is anchored in the mists of geological time
and bears witness to the centuries-old convulsions of the earth and the sea
in the heart of the Mediterranean. Masseto belongs to that
geography that is first and foremost geology. Rooted in the
depths of its blue clays.
In the years that followed, seismic forces folded
the layers of the soil and thus, one of these folds made
the Pliocene clays emerge, allowing them to
see the light again, enjoy the sea breeze and feel
the heat of the sun.
Nature is therefore the first creator of Masseto.
It took the genius, tenacity and intuition of a few
men from different backgrounds to look beyond local
winemaking customs and traditions and reveal all the mystery
and power of this land.
A viticulture of patience, precision and detail is inspired
by the daily and careful observation of the terroir. Year
after year, the team tries to reveal this singularity
of the terroir, from the vineyards to the cellar.
The Masseto vines seem to constantly struggle
with the elements. A place like this must be
wisely managed by the hand of man, to support it
without adding further stress. In the cellar, the watchword
is minimal intervention. The extraordinarily
concentrated grapes do not require sophisticated
vinification, but simple operations.
CLIMATE AND VINTAGE
The 2021 vintage began with a rainy and mild winter that allowed the soil to replenish its water reserves.
After a dry March, bud break occurred in the first two weeks of April. The gradual increase in
temperatures, with normal rainfall, allowed regular growth of the shoots, leading to a
flowering in excellent conditions at the end of May. From June onwards, fully summery weather began
with temperatures slightly higher than average and an almost complete absence of rainfall, leading to veraison
in the last week of July. The drought continued throughout August and September. Despite this, the
spring rains allowed the calcareous-clayey soils to release sufficient water reserves to the plants
without leading to debilitating water stress, but rather to concentrated grapes with a high quality potential.
VINIFICATION AND AGEING
The grapes were hand-picked in 15 kg crates. After destemming and light pressing, the grapes were
transferred into cement tanks by gravity, without any pumping. Each individual parcel of the vineyard was
vinified separately. Fermentation occurred spontaneously with indigenous yeasts at temperatures around
25-28°C, with two or three pumpings over per day and délestages where necessary. Total time in the tanks ranged from
21 to 28 days. Malolactic fermentation took place in barriques, 100% new oak, keeping the
various batches separate for the first 12 months of aging. Subsequently, the wines were assembled and put back
in barriques once again for another year, for a total of 24 months. After being bottled, the Masseto 2021
was left to age for another 12 months in the bottle before being released to the market.
TASTING NOTES
A harmony of lively and inebriating aromas is ready to welcome the nose in the glass of Masseto 2021. These
aromas do not abandon it even in tasting. The wine, in the most elegant and enveloping way in which it
presents itself, fills the mouth with fleshiness, juice and persistence. Masseto 2021 is a wine that knows how to amaze, remaining
constantly present during the tasting, in its savory return and in the fullness of its expression. It
is the grateful manifesto of a rich vintage like 2021 has proven to be.