Masseto
A cult single-vineyard Merlot from Bolgheri grown on distinctive blue clay, Masseto is often called 'the Petrus of Italy' and ranks among the world's most coveted Italian wines.
About Masseto
Masseto is a legendary single-vineyard Merlot produced at Bolgheri on the Tuscan coast, sister wine to Ornellaia and made by the same Ornellaia e Masseto estate. Its hillside parcel of roughly seven hectares sits on rare Pliocene blue clay, soils credited with giving the wine its power, density and Pomerol-like profile that earned the nickname 'the Petrus of Italy.' The first vintage was 1986, initially released simply as 'Merlot' before adopting the Masseto name; the wine is bottled as Toscana IGT. Created under Marchese Lodovico Antinori, the property passed through Robert Mondavi and Constellation ownership before the Frescobaldi family became sole owner in April 2005. Production is small, around 30,000 bottles annually, and the wine has earned multiple 100-point scores. In 2017 the estate introduced a second wine, Massetino. Masseto remains one of Italy's most sought-after and expensive collectibles.
Flagship wines
- Masseto (Toscana IGT)
- Massetino
Editorial notes
Allocation-only and expensive; buy from trusted sources to ensure provenance. The second wine Massetino offers a more attainable taste of the Masseto style.