From its first vintage in 1986, Masseto had been known as a pure expression of Merlot.

In 2019, that changed for the first time.

Masseto 2019 is composed of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, marking the first vintage in the wine’s history to include Cabernet Franc. It was also the first Masseto made entirely in the estate’s newly completed dedicated winery.

The first Masseto with Cabernet Franc

Masseto is produced on the Tuscan coast near Bolgheri and has long been associated with one grape above all others: Merlot.

For decades, the flagship wine was made entirely from Merlot. In 2019, a small amount of Cabernet Franc entered the final blend for the first time: 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.

Cabernet Franc ripens later than Merlot and can bring additional aromatic lift, spice and structure. Estate director Axel Heinz has spoken of its ability to add another layer of complexity while keeping Merlot at the centre of Masseto’s identity.

For an international reader, this makes 2019 more than another vintage. It marks a deliberate evolution in a wine whose identity had previously been tied to 100% Merlot.

Two grapes, harvested almost a month apart

The 2019 growing season moved between extremes.

Cold, rainy conditions in April and May slowed vine development. By late June, temperatures reached 37°C, followed by a hot, dry summer with temperatures around 2°C above average and 45 consecutive days without rain.

Rain at the end of July and again in early September helped reset the final ripening period.

Merlot was harvested from 5 to 20 September. The later-ripening Cabernet Franc was picked on 1 October.

That gap helps explain why the two varieties can play different roles in the final wine: Merlot provides Masseto’s core richness and texture, while Cabernet Franc contributes a later-ripening counterpoint.

Blue clay shaped by an ancient sea

Masseto’s defining geological feature is a layer of blue Pliocene clay beneath the vineyard.

The clay formed from ancient coastal marshland and still contains traces of salt and marine life. Its mineral structure can hold substantial amounts of water and release it gradually to the vines.

This matters in a dry year. Even through a long, hot summer, the clay helps keep the roots cool and lightly hydrated.

The vineyard also overlooks the Tyrrhenian Sea. Sea breezes and reflected coastal light form part of the site’s growing conditions, helping explain why Masseto places so much emphasis on the relationship between soil, sea and sunlight.

24 months in 100% new oak, then another year in bottle

The grapes were harvested by hand in 15kg crates and sorted twice — before and after destemming — before gentle crushing.

Most fermentation took place in concrete tanks, while fruit from some small parcels fermented in barrel. Maceration lasted between 21 and 28 days.

Malolactic fermentation began in 100% new oak barriques. The different vineyard lots remained separate for the first 12 months.

They were then blended and returned to barrel for another 12 months, bringing total barrel maturation to 24 months. After bottling, Masseto 2019 rested for a further 12 months before release.

2019 also marked Masseto’s new independent winery

The vintage coincided with another major change in the estate’s history.

Masseto’s dedicated winery was completed and inaugurated in 2019. Built largely below ground, it was designed around gravity flow so that grapes and wine can move through the cellar with minimal pumping.

The new cellar also allows individual vineyard parcels to be handled separately with greater precision.

Masseto 2019 was the first vintage made entirely in this dedicated facility. Together with the first inclusion of Cabernet Franc, that gives 2019 two separate “firsts” in Masseto’s history.

Ripe cherry, violet, liquorice and dark chocolate

The estate describes Masseto 2019 as dense yet harmonious.

The official tasting notes highlight ripe cherry, violet, liquorice and dark chocolate. The palate is broad and dense, with velvety, refined tannins and a finish that remains fresh and vibrant.

That contrast — concentration without losing freshness — is central to the character of the vintage.

Masseto 2019

Italy | Tuscany | Toscana IGT | Red wine | 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc | 2019

After decades as a 100% Merlot wine, Masseto introduced 10% Cabernet Franc for the first time in 2019. The same vintage was also the first made entirely in Masseto’s dedicated winery, making it a clear turning point in the estate’s modern history.

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