JD 100
jebdunnuck.com, January 2024
(98-100 points) Tasted from barrel, the 2021 Masseto pours a youthful magenta hue and brings forward an inviting bouquet with some blue fruit coming through and more chocolate aromas as well with to me it is fresh with blackberry, and purple violet flowers. It boasts outstanding concentration and depth, with a plush, cushiony texture at this stage, incredible finesse and balance, and a wonderful mineral aroma of wet asphalt coming through. A harmonious wine with well-integrated oak, this may be the best vintage of this cuvée that I have tasted to date.
TWI 100
The Wine Independent, December 2024
The 2021 Masseto is breathtaking. An absolute masterpiece that presents itself without a single moment that is not perfection. The nose is simply gorgeous, a cascade of rose, violet, lavender, macerated strawberry, semi-sweet molten chocolate, and wild herbs. A cashmere texture on the palate leads to soft-spoken power that impresses with it's effortless ability to hold freshness in harmony with the full 15.5% abv. Loads of dark berries and warmed spices linger on the finish. For a young Masseto, it is drinking remarkably well, with the intensity and precision to hold and improve for decades. - Vanessa Conlin
VN 100
Vinous, February 2024
The 2021 Masseto is a stunner. It also shows how much the estate has evolved in recent years. I was reminded of that recently when I drank the 2001, considered by many observers, including this one, to be one of the greatest wines ever made here. The 2021 represents a move towards a more refined style. There’s less of the bombastic intensity and extraction that were once the norm here. I remember young vintages that were impossible to taste young. The 2021, on the other hand, is an absolute delight. Crushed flowers, spice, blood orange and bright, red-toned fruit all grace the palate. Floral aromatics and saline underpinnings are at times reminiscent of the Cabernet Franc found in the 2019 and 2020, but the 2021 is back to the classic 100% Merlot. Readers will find a Masseto built on linear energy more than volume. The 2021 is quite simply the most exquisite, refined young Masseto I have ever tasted. Aging was 24 months in 100% new French oak.
