2020 Ornellaia Masseto IGT

99 POINTS

James Suckling

Intense aromas of ripe herbs, plums, green coffee beans, and hazelnuts. Turns to crushed berries and orange peel. Full-bodied with superb concentration and fine, velvety tannins that run the length of the wine. It's big but agile and gorgeous. Merlot. What a wine! Best after 2030.

99 POINTS

Danielle Callegari - Wine Enthusiast

A hedge maze of aromas greets the nose, from blackberries and black cherries to crushed stones and crumpled petals, before a gentle addition of vanilla and toasted coconut. Mixed berries with vanilla and cardamom soak the palate, followed by freshly tilled dirt and flinty stone notes, and finally an astringent, brooding spiciness on the back. Tannins are tightly stitched together across the palate like a tapestry, with acrobatic acid emphasizing a salt and pepper finish. A wine that speaks volumes without shouting.

98 POINTS

Falstaff

Rich, deep dark ruby with a fine purple shimmer. Intense and dense nose, opens with notes of cold smoke, then lots of dark currant, blackberry and graphite. Full-bodied and dense on the palate, opens with tightly woven tannins, fine spice, seems very compact, slightly earthy components on the finish.

98 POINTS

Falstaff

Intense, deep, dark ruby red with violet glints. An intense and dense nose, with notes of cold smoke, then aromas of black currants, blackberries and graphite. Substantial and dense, with tightly woven tannins, a fine savouriness, wonderfully compact, a touch of earthy notes on the finish.

98 POINTS

Antonio Galloni MW - Vinous

The 2020 Masseto is superb. Bright and vibrant in the glass, the 2020 offers up an exciting mix of dark-toned fruit, mocha, spice, leather, tobacco, cedar and a kiss of French oak. Lively acids and Franc aromatics lend vibrancy throughout. The Franc is so evident today. This is exceptionally polished and sophisticated, albeit a touch slender relative to most years. In 2020, Masseto is more finesse than power.

98 POINTS

Aldo Fiordelli - Decanter

A high-flying sleek wine wine for this vintage that's built to last. Masseto 2020 reminds me of the 2000 with its milk and mint freshness, outstanding elegance and supple texture. It's a lavish wine with a magic balance between elegance and structured power. Scents of white chocolate, milk chocolate, coconut, clove and restrained cassis and leafy aromas lead to a palate full of restrained estery aromas and smooth, silky tannins. The massive mid-palate showcases super-concentration of fruit, with savouriness and warmth, then a long tobacco, graphite and mineral finish with excellent integration of an almost zesty acidity. Naturally fermented in concrete vats and aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak.

96 POINTS

Monica Larner - Wine Advocate

The 2020 Masseto now sees new DNA with a touch of Cabernet Franc added to this celebrated Merlot-based icon wine. This is a vintage of enormous richness and density, and everything about the wine is taken up a notch or two (including the bottle glass weight and the 15% alcohol content). But Axel Heinz and his team are well prepared for the hot vintages like 2020, and changes to farming and canopy management ensure even ripening. This wine is always hard to analyze in its youth. It needs many more years to soften and flesh out. Give it time.

95 POINTS

James Suckling

Very floral and perfumed with red fruits and hints of sandalwood. Medium body, very fresh and fine yet open grained. Crisp and long. Hard not to drink now. But better in three or four years when it comes together. 97% merlot and 3% cabernet franc. Try after 2026.