Masseto 2014

The wine in this vintage

2014 in Tuscany was a cool, rainy vintage, one of the most challenging of the decade, demanding great rigour in both vineyard and cellar. Masseto 2014 is the fruit of careful selection and shows a slimmer, more aromatic profile than the sunnier years. Cherry, plum, herbs, spice and forest-floor notes appear on the nose; the palate is fine and flowing, with delicate tannins and lively freshness. Jancis Robinson gave it 18/20. This is a Masseto with more immediate drinkability, currently in a very pleasant phase, which can nonetheless be kept for several more years with confidence.

The producer · Tenuta dell'Ornellaia

Founded in 1981 by Lodovico Antinori in Bolgheri, on the Livorno coast, Tenuta dell'Ornellaia became within a few decades one of the international symbols of Italian wine. The first vintage of Ornellaia was 1985; since 2005 the estate has been wholly owned by the Frescobaldi family, who have consolidated its style and global reputation. The vineyards spread across the hills and plain of Bolgheri, on a patchwork of alluvial, sandy and clay soils tempered by Tyrrhenian breezes and day-night temperature swings. Ornellaia is a blend of Bordeaux varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, marrying Mediterranean generosity with classic structure. Alongside it, Masseto, a pure Merlot from the hill of the same name with its Pliocene blue clays, is now run as a separate entity and complemented by Massetino, introduced with the 2017 vintage. Since 2009 the Vendemmia d'Artista project has paired each vintage with a contemporary artwork.

Critics' scores

• 92 Wine Enthusiast
• 18/20 Jancis Robinson

Technical details

Producer

Tenuta dell'Ornellaia

Region

Toscana

Country

Italia

Type

Rosso

Vintage

2014

When to drink

Hold, still evolving

Critics' average

92/100

Sizes

75 cl, Magnum 150 cl, Case of 6 × 75 cl

eWibe code

0680114