2003 Masseto
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Tasting notes
The 2003 Masseto is tremendous tonight. I admit, 2003 is one of my least favorite vintages, and yet the wine is so delicious today. Exotic and opulent to the core, the 2003 shows all of the natural richness of this brutally hot, dry year in its dark, heady, super-ripe flavors. There is not a ton of nuance, but readers could certainly do worse. This is an especially fine showing for the 2003, that much is pretty clear. Harvest took place between August 25 and September 18, a very early start. Ultimately, the winemaking team decided to only use the heart of the Masseto vineyard, 'Masseto Centrale,' in the blend, which lowered production significantly in favor of quality, a strategy that paid off brilliantly.
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
The Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Just mid ruby with the beginning of orange. Pretty rich and opulent on the nose, but not cooked. Wonderful freshness of integrated acidity. Quite powerful, intense and full on, with a powerful tannic structure. very good for the vintage and still with potential. Hints of dried fruit and even a little porty but acidity keeps it upright. (WS)
The 2003 Masseto, tasted in the second flight, was one of the revelations of the night. It was absolutely sublime, proving that talented winemakers can make great wines even in the most challenging of vintages with impeccable work in the vineyard and uncompromising selection in the cellar. Readers who took the plunge on the 2003 will be rewarded with an absolutely sublime, perfumed, polished wine of the highest level.
The 2003 Masseto is another product of a difficult year, but in this case it is a vintage characterized by brutal, unrelenting heat. The estate made the decision to use only the central, oldest part of the vineyard, but even that was not enough to fully counter the effects of the sweltering heat. The 2003 is an opulent, port-like Masseto loaded with sweet, dense fruit. It retains good freshness and delineation, but the style is very ripe and heavy.
About the producer
Established in the 1980s by Lodovico Antinori on the advice of André Tchelistcheff, Masseto was one of Tuscany’s first pure Merlot wines. Sibling to Ornellaia, the Super Tuscan is often considered the Pétrus of Italy – offering powerful, perfumed wines that are highly sought-after by collectors.