That is, other than making me a little poorer. I have the opportunity to pull the trigger on a couple of bottles at a relatively attractive price. Don’t usually shop anywhere near this price point. Will I remember this wine as a pinnacle similar to the way I remember 89 Haut Brion? Thanks.
I’ve only tried the 09. While it was good, it was a let down relative to its cost. Then again, $500 a bottle is not the league I play in so take my comment for what it’s worth. I imagine the 2010 vintage is better, and this wine probably shows better with age.
Age masseto is pretty bad ass. Dunno how it is that young tho.
Baller wine
What’s an “attractive” price?
On quality alone it tastes like $500+
In short, no. Tastes a lot like many rich, well oaked, lavish new world Merlots. For my money you can get an approximation of this with a Pride Mountaintop Merlot from a good year.
Don’t get me wrong, would NOT kick this wine out of bed. Sexy indeed. Maybe i’ve just been there, done that with some of these high heeled, black stocking, new world wines with an old world address.
Or maybe you just have to be in the mood, like the $500 mood, for a glass of merlot…or have someone else buying!
Now if we are debating Petrus, that may be another story.
My .02
Sounds like a great wine, but I would have to say that a 1998 Masseto was perhaps the biggest disappointment of last year for me.
The Masseto will change your bank account. Young it tastes like any Roland wine - sexy, full bodied, lots of stuffing, almost like an italian Grange. And it ages disastrously. I go with Carl - the 1998 I opened on new years eve was portlike in the nose, the palate was somehow good. If you want a classy Merlot from Bolgheri, try Messorio. In the past years I never opened a Masseto without a Messorio from the same vintage and the latter always won the blind tasting and when the label was revealed everybody went for the Masseto.
Gopher it. Buy it and post notes on it. Perhaps it will offer you a new paradigm?
Mine as well. Most of a case of Pride (or other top California Mountain Merlots) vs. a bottle of Massetto? Easy math.
This has me worried Carl. I have a 1997 Masseto put away I was thinking about drinking soon …
Interesting, Hans, and funny how that works.
If the 2010 Massetto changes your life, then you really had no life. And you should welcome any kind of change. Although this kind of change may not be for the good.
Definitely buy it. In the long run it will save you a lot of money as once you try it you won’t bother buying super expensive, amped up wines like this again. Of course, this only works if you don’t buy more of this stuff in the meantime.
No. i havent tried masseto, so i am not commenting on the particular wine. But no wine will. and my experience with wine when i am moving too far out of my comfort zone price wise, my expectations become so high that i am almost always disappointed. much more happiness lies within finding great wine within your budget, and if you thinking about spending 600$ on a bottle, you have plenty of opportunity to find great wines, and great italian merlot, cheaper. I love the galatrona 09. it is 100$ a bottle. i doubt i would get 6 x the pleasure from Masseto.
I have not had the 10 yet. I am in the minority in that I love Masseto. It is a perfectly crated wine. The young Massetos always remind me the 94 Harlan upon release. Masseto is very different than Californian Merlots for my palate, ie Californian merlots can be ripe and jammy yet often show a hint of gree/vegetal.
I am a great admirer of the 89 Haut Brion, epitome of sophistication and balance. This is more be like the 90 Troplong Mondot but I prefer Masseto.
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2004 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Masseto Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (11/11/2012)
WWS 2012 - a few TNs including DRCs, Coche Dury, Rousseau and others; 11/8/2012-11/11/2012 (Villa D’este, Lake Como): Christian’s comment is so perfect “the perfect wine without the soul” The wine is so perfect, I am perfectly fine this wine being soulless. Explosive yet polished nose, the texture to die for and incredibly long and seamless finish. (99 pts.)
No. I had a Masseto a year or two ago. Outstanding. Much better than the two LaFleurs at the same table. BUT unless your life is incredibly shallow with nothing worth talking about it, it will not change your life.
Which Lafleurs were at the table Jay?
I’ve often thought that having experienced 89 Haut Brion, I’m a better person.
I can’t believe tasting a particular wine could make anyone a better person.
I suppose I could understand if you said you feel your life was enhanced by it, which is what I suspect you meant.