2016 Masseto

Another very good vintage: regular summer, cooler than 2021. Crop a bit bigger. Lustrous deep crimson. Heady, aromatic, sweetly perfumed. Lifted and lively. Really quite racy with the fruit to the fore – even though there is still quite a bit of tannin. Much more transparent than the 2021. Sophisticated, very well balanced with a savoury finish. Tastes of blackcurrant compote. (JR)

The 2016 Masseto is simply stunning. Fresh, vibrant and full of energy, the 2016 dazzles from start to finish. I can’t remember tasting a young Masseto with this combination of fruit density and silkiness. Just as it was from barrel, the 2016 Masseto is a wine of magnificent balance and proportion. The polish and sensuality of the tannins is simply remarkable for a young Masseto, especially compared to just a few years ago, when Masseto was often a bruiser right out of the gate. Two thousand sixteen was a year with a long summer and some drought, but no real extremes. Acidity is in line with vintages like 2006, but gentler winemaking with fewer pumpovers than in the past has given birth to a wine that is more finessed than those of the preceding decade.

The 2016 Masseto is simply stunning. Fresh, vibrant and full of energy, the 2016 dazzles from start to finish. I can't remember tasting a young Masseto with this combination of fruit density and silkiness. Just as it was from barrel, the 2016 Masseto is a wine of magnificent balance and proportion. The polish and sensuality of the tannins is simply remarkable for a young Masseto, especially compared to just a few years ago, when Masseto was often a bruiser right out of the gate. Two thousand sixteen was a year with a long summer and some drought, but no real extremes. Acidity is in line with vintages like 2006, but gentler winemaking with fewer pumpovers than in the past has given birth to a wine that is more finessed than those of the preceding decade.