Ornellaia Masseto 2022

Masseto 2022, the singular Merlot of Bolgheri

I recommend this red for its identity closely tied to Bolgheri: a Merlot shaped by the proximity of the sea, the blue clays and extended aging in French oak. The 2022 vintage thus combines a precise origin with a careful approach, without the available notes claiming to detail every tasting nuance.

Blue clays, the Tyrrhenian Sea and the DOC Bolgheri

This wine is linked to the DOC Bolgheri Superiore, on the Tuscan coast, near the Tyrrhenian Sea. Its story begins with the planting of Merlot on the region's hillsides in 1980, at the initiative of Ludovico Antorini and winemaker André Tchelistcheff. At the time, the local wine landscape was mainly associated with the Cabernet Sauvignon blends of the Super Tuscans; choosing Merlot therefore went against the grain. According to the available information, the sea breeze and the light reflected off the sea favor the ripening of the grapes.

The blue clay soil, marked by marine sediments and seashells, is the other distinctive feature of this terroir. The wine is made from Merlot and benefits from 24 months of aging in French oak barrels. The described winemaking involves a double grape selection, gentle pressing, fermentation in steel tanks between 25 and 28 °C for 25 days, followed by maceration. Aging takes place in two stages: a first year separately, then twelve additional months after blending. The production is presented as attentive and respectful of agriculture.

The color is only described as that of a red wine: no precise nuance is indicated, and I prefer not to invent one. The same caution applies to the detailed nose and flavors, which are absent from the available notes. The style indications nonetheless give useful reference points: the profile sits at 7 out of 9 on the fruity-spicy axis, at 6 out of 9 for the influence of wood, and at 7 out of 9 for body. This paints the portrait of a rather structured red, shaped by its aging and oriented toward a spicy expression, without allowing us to assign specific aromas to the glass.

At the table, with robust meats

The food pairing recommendation points toward red meats and game. I would serve it at a meal where the dish can match its substance and aging, rather than as a simple aperitif wine. If you want to taste a Merlot from Bolgheri and take the time to observe its evolution in the glass, Masseto 2022 offers an opportunity to set the coastal terroir, the blue clays and the long barrel aging side by side.