100 POINTS
Antonio Galloni MW - Vinous
The 2021 Masseto is a stunner. It also shows how much the estate has evolved in recent years. I was reminded of that recently when I drank the 2001, considered by many observers, including this one, to be one of the greatest wines ever made here. The 2021 represents a move towards a more refined style. There’s less of the bombastic intensity and extraction that were once the norm here. I remember young vintages that were impossible to taste young. The 2021, on the other hand, is an absolute delight. Crushed flowers, spice, blood orange and bright, red-toned fruit all grace the palate. Floral aromatics and saline underpinnings are at times reminiscent of the Cabernet Franc found in the 2019 and 2020, but the 2021 is back to the classic 100% Merlot. Readers will find a Masseto built on linear energy more than volume. The 2021 is quite simply the most exquisite, refined young Masseto I have ever tasted. Aging was 24 months in 100% new French oak
99 POINTS
James Button - Decanter
2021 was a hot vintage, but you can feel plenty of freshness in this wine. It has a lovely perfume of crushed hedgerow berries and some herbal notes, while in the mouth it's intense, ferrous and stony, with soft, silky tannins, some creamy cherry on the mid-palate, and intense acidity which keeps things moving. The textural detail is sublime and the verticality and fruit sapidity on display here is nothing short of breathtaking. ‘For me, it's one of the best vintages in the history of Masseto‘, states production director, Marco Balsimelli.
Bright, intense ruby with purple shimmer. Very appealing and rich nose of cassis, blackberry, dark tobacco and graphite. Dense, very concentrated tannins, builds up towards good depth, lots of dark berryish fruit, salty and with great length on the finish.
99 POINTS
Danielle Callegari - Wine Enthusiast
Our entire adult lives are spent trying to reclaim the wonder of our childhood—the enchantment of Disney World, the legend of Santa Claus, the belief in miracles that is slowly eroded with age. Masseto is always a wine that brings back that magic, but Gaia allows you to get up out of your seat and watch her sleight of hand from a nose-length. I dare you to figure out how she does it, and I defy you not to gasp with delight at the reveal. Drink now or hold until you next feel your faith faltering.
Dark purple color. Blackberry, blueberry, flint, gunmetal and currant aromas with undertones of violets and mocha. Full-bodied with ultra-fine tannins that are very polished, giving a silky texture that fills your mouth. It’s fresh yet very deep, with tannins that last for minutes. Finely crafted and classy. Pure merlot. Drink after 2029.
Blueberries and black olives with violets and hints of sage, as well as rosemary flowers. Full and powerful with lots of fruit and vanilla on the palate. A rich and flavorful red, yet held together beautifully. Muscular and powerful. Needs five or six years to come together. Give it time.
98 POINTS
Danielle Callegari - Wine Enthusiast
The Masseto 2020 and the Massetino 2021 bring to mind the Duomo of Florence and the dome of St. Peter's Basilica—both magnificent, imposing and equally beautiful. And if the Masseto is more architecturally sophisticated, the Massetino seems to do more with less. The Cabernet Franc works like an ice plunge after a hot sauna, tempering the almost terrifying intensity of the Merlot. A work of art, in any case. Gorgeous now, better in 2031.
95 POINTS
Monica Larner - Wine Advocate
The 2021 Masseto is back to being 100% Merlot. Recent past vintages saw a tiny part of Cabernet Franc. That second varietal in the blend represents the proverbial "tax" one must pay in the face of climate change, especially when making wine on the sun-drenched Tuscan Coast. This is a very rich and elaborate expression with the extract, tannic tightness and the hefty 15.5% alcohol content to match. It comes off as quite big-boned or monotone. The wine is redolent of blackberry confit and cooked cherry, with a wide range of sweet oak spices to close. There is dark chocolate with a thin lining of creamy mint filling. Within the context of that fullness and generous fruit weight, Masseto is quite a commitment in terms of price and further cellaring. More bottle aging is an absolute requirement.
