In fact, I went back to taste the wine 12 hours later, and they had already softened considerably. You feel the oak tannins on the finish with toast and vanilla that will certainly shed as the wine ages. Those distinctive notes of macchia mediterranea (wild bush) that I always associate with Masseto are less present in this vintage. If concerned that the hot vintage would draw out too many ripe fruit tones, the oak serves to soften some of the more volatile components of the fruit. Perhaps, what this vintage lacks is that profound varietal character that we saw in recent vintages like 20. I tasted this wine next to the decidedly more playful Massetino, and the Masseto moves over the palate with substantial fruit weight and concentration gained over the course of this hot and dry growing season (which produced smaller, richer and more compact berries). It is powerful, but that's always the case with Masseto (this vintage records a 15.5% alcohol content). Like most vintages of Masseto tasted this early in the game, the oak is omnipresent, and it grounds the wine in terms of texture and structure.
The wine then goes into bottle for 12 months before its release. Fermentation kicks off in a combination of steel and oak tanks before the wine is racked over to barrique, where it rests for two years. This wine was made in the old winery (the existing Ornellaia winery). The center of the vineyard now is home to the new Masseto winery and an adjacent tasting room built into a pre-existing farmhouse. That ideal position opens the vineyards to soft breezes, proximity to the sea, long daylight hours and cool diurnal shifts from the protective wall of low mountains at the back. The vines are planted at an altitude of 80 to 100 meters above sea level in blue clay soils that are unique to Bolgheri. This special site is located at the base of the mountains that rise gently from the Tyrrhenian Sea, with the picturesque silhouette of the Castiglioncello castle at the top. The Masseto vineyard is a triangular-shaped plot tucked in at the back of the same property that houses the Ornellaia vineyards and winery. The Masseto 2017 Masseto puts on another exhilarating, knock-out performance for the third year in a row.
24 months in barrel then another 12 months in bottle before being released from the estate. There are plenty of finely tuned tannins, but you have to wait until you are halfway through the palate before they start to build in intensity, so well brushed and supple they are at first. An excellent vintage taking the extreme drought of the summer in its stride, proof of the exceptional location of this property. The layers of spice are clear and distinct, from pepper to saffron to cloves, extremely rich but with an upward swing of acidity that keeps it gripped on to its base, and delivers the power and seduction of Masseto. This is luscious, think Le Pin rather than Petrus if you are comparing to a Pomerol. It spent 22 months in 100% new oak, a bit less time than is typical, and finished its aging in tank, decisions taken to preserve as much freshness as possible. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
Masseto has so often been a wine of impact, but the 2017 says it all with finesse. I have a hard time thinking of a Masseto with this much sheer allure at the outset. Blackberry jam, bittersweet chocolate, spice, lavender and licorice all come alive in the glass. The flavors are vibrant and remarkably pure from start to finish. Although not the most potent or structured Masseto, the 2017 impresses with its breathtaking finesse. A wine of tremendous inner perfume and sensuality, the 2017 dazzles from start to finish.
Strength with finesse Drink after 2024, but already wonderful to taste. It’s full-bodied with firm, silky tannins that run long and straight through the wine, providing brightness and focus. The clarity of the ripe blackcurrants, black cherries and flowers in the nose is entrancing. #41 James Suckling's Top 100 Italian Wines of 2020
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