This bottle opens a new chapter for one of Italy's most celebrated and collected wines. The first vintage made entirely in its dedicated state-of-the-art winery (and the first vintage with a 10% dabble of Cabernet Franc added to what has historically aways been a pure expression of Merlot), the Masseto 2019 Masseto has two main themes at heart: concentration and elegance. And managing those two seemingly contrasting elements requires a little bit of magic. That's the Masseto magic we look for. The 2019 vintage delivers it in spades with lovely concentrated fruit, blackberry, integrated spice, tobacco, crushed slate, pencil shaving and lots of texture and fiber to push a lasting mouthfeel. The wine's richness translates into density and power to the palate, meanwhile the bouquet reveals fluidity and new sides as the wine opens in the glass. The finish is tapered and focused.

e 2019 Masseto is fabulous. Silky, gracious and super-refined, the 2019 is a total knock-out. So often Masseto is a powerhouse at this stage, but the 2019 is so elegant, so precise. This is the first year that includes Cabernet Franc, 10% in this case. I can't say I am at all surprised given how much Franc has added to Massetino. Red berry fruit, mocha, cinnamon and blood orange lend freshness throughout. The 2019 has just been bottle, so it's early. But there certainly appears to be a lot to look forward to.

Tightly wound now, with blackberry, black currant, iron, rosemary, cedar and toasty oak spice aromas and flavors. Though firm and compact, this has plenty of fruit that persists on the vibrant, lingering and complex finish. Reveals very refined tannins. Merlot. Best from 2024 through 2042. 350 cases imported.

Reminding me of a great Pomerol in a way, the 2019 Masseto is as always 100% Merlot and is a pure, seamless, just incredibly sexy expression of this terroir, showing the warmer style of the vintage. Giving up loads of redcurrants, sweet tobacco, savory herbs, dusty earth, and chalky mineral notes, as well as some subtle chocolaty oak, it has a wonderful purity and precision in its aromatics and already shows considerable complexity. These all carry over to the palate, where the wine is full-bodied, has a silky, layered mouthfeel, building, chalky tannins, and a great finish. This ripe, powerful Masseto clocks in at over %15 alcohol, yet the balance is spot on and it remains light on its feet and graceful, with no sensation of weight or heaviness. It unquestionably deserves 7-8 years of bottle age and, I suspect, will have 30 years of longevity, probably longer.

Aromas of iris, raspberry, camphor and Mediterranean scrub mingle with oak-driven spice on this 100% Merlot. Enveloping and concentrated, it also possess remarkable, almost weightless finesse, delivering black currant, Morello cherry, fruitcake and star anise alongside smooth, velvety tannins. Fresh acidity lifts the finish. Drink 2025-2039.