The obsessive art of winemaking is alive at both sister producers Ornellaia and Masseto, Tuscany’s premier craftsmen of ultra fine wines commonly known as Super Tuscans.
To understand the amazing appeal of these robust wines one must first understand the generous bounty of their terroir. Masseto enjoys the gifts of natural selection which includes proximity to the sea along the Maremma coast, providing trace elements of marsh sediment, gravel, and ample clay dating back to the Pliocene epoch. Cool breezes enliven the aromatic expressions of Masseto’s rare and exceptional vineyard which are planted with a singular varietal: merlot.
Often described as a patchwork of different terroirs the site has three distinct areas and subdivisions within each, allowing for a certain poetic expression of the grapes. This natural advantage of soil and climate along with the cultivation of its single varietal results in the notable achievement that is Masseto. Few wines consistently rank as highly as the Tenuta dell Ornellaia.
Robert Parker writing about the 2006 vintage gave it a 100-point rating and said, “The wine that most delighted me at this historic tasting of Tuscany's most iconic wines was the 2006 Masseto. This is a wine of sheer power, bliss, opulence, infinity and sublime seduction. This Merlot-based masterpiece hits all your senses with the grace of a ballerina. . . You get the best of both worlds with this stunning creation: elegance and power. These traits are particularly well suited to the versatile grape variety at the heart of this Tuscan all-rounder. This is a true Renaissance wine.”
Ornellaia is a jewel that expresses more of the Bordeaux-style with a true Bolgheri influence. The 2009 Ornellaia may be the wine of the vintage. Yet exploring the vertical offers a rare opportunity to experience the true craftsmanship of Ornellaia over time.
