The 2013 Masseto is a wine of real vibrancy, clarity and precision. In some moments, the 2013 shows a bit of its voluptuous fruit, but it is rich, structured and clearly in need of time. Like all Massetos from cooler years, the 2013 is a long-distance runner. Give it time. A warm, dry summer helped the vineyards catch up after a late and irregular flowering. Cool nighttime temperatures provided the diurnal shifts at the end of the season that are so critical for the development of aromatics.

Aromas of blueberries, violets and roses turn to black truffles. Full body, ultra-fine tannins and great length. So gorgeous and persistent. It goes on for minutes.

2013 was a cooler, late vintage and this long growing season shows in Masseto's generosity of aroma and richness of fruit in the mouth. Some tertiary notes of truffle and amaro are just beginning to emerge, and the mid-palate is a complexity of stony sapidity, iron and flint, with succulent dark fruit amid some mint and chocolate. It's grippy, tightly coiled, and beautifully poised, remaining remarkably youthful. A class act.

The 2013 Masseto is really starting to show off, opening in the glass to aromas of framboise, crushed stones, cypress, fresh leather, and minty lift. Ripe but chiseled, it’s full-bodied, with very well-defined, ripe tannins. Notes of salty dark earth drive the wine forward, while more savory and earthy notes of pu-ehr tea last long after the wine is gone. It’s a wine that will be sturdy in the long run, and its structure is not going anywhere. For my personal taste, the 2020 has a slight edge over this, but it’s a remarkable wine. Drink 2025-2050. The adjacent sister property to Ornellaia, the Masseto estate in Bolgheri produces benchmark wines based on Merlot, with its first vintage in 1987. As noted in this report’s introduction and in the Ornellaia profile, 2023 saw the departure of long-time winemaker and estate director Axel Heinz. Winemaker Gaia Cinnirella is staying on and shows tremendous promise for the estate. Their new winery, which debuted in 2018, was designed by architects Hikaru Mori and Maurizio Zito of the ZitoMori Studio, who named it “The Quarry.” It’s an impressive design, with the exterior blending into the landscape, only to reveal its true grandeur upon entering the winery beneath. One feature of the new winery has been moving away from using stainless steel, which they found could contribute to reductive qualities. Instead, 20 to 25% of the wine is now fermented in concrete tanks, with the remainder in oak barrels. The concrete also takes on some of the qualities of barrel fermentation, without adding the additional flavors that barrels would contribute. The oldest vines are currently approaching 40 years old, and in newer vintages, Cabernet Franc they planted more recently has been making its way into the wines. My tasting took place at the winery with Gaia Cinnirella.

The 2013 Masseto is really starting to show off, opening in the glass to aromas of framboise, crushed stones, cypress, fresh leather, and minty lift. Ripe but chiseled, it’s full-bodied, with very well-defined, ripe tannins. Notes of salty dark earth drive the wine forward, while more savory and earthy notes of pu-ehr tea last long after the wine is gone. It’s a wine that will be sturdy in the long run, and its structure is not going anywhere. For my personal taste, the 2020 has a slight edge over this, but it’s a remarkable wine. Drink 2025-2050. AF Jan 2024

The 2013 Masseto paints a glorious picture of Tuscany. It captures an inspired moment in time and walks an impressive tightrope between power and elegance. In my preview tasting last year, I noticed the firm textural richness of the 2013 vintage and the crystalline sharpness of its aromas. Thanks to 12 additional months of bottle aging, that impression is evermore constant and concrete. The focus is there, yet the wine has also fleshed out and put on more velvety definition especially in terms of mouthfeel. It wears its pedigree with pride, but most importantly it offers the balance and integration to promise a long and healthy aging future. The 2013 vintage follows closely on the heels of the impeccable 2006 and 2010 vintages in terms of cellaring potential. This is definitely a bottle that should interest collectors.

More confected and glossy than the 2012 on the nose, perhaps with some acetic scent in the mix. Fine but palate-coating tannins with a dash more acid than other vintages. The oak spice is keen but controlled. Robust and slightly rugged in style, with concentration and chew. Right now, this is a compressed, tight weave of a wine that is keeping its cards close to its chest. (RH)