2021 Masseto Toscana (1.5 L) Magnum

In every vintage, Masseto stands with the finest wines in the world. 

But this year, it stands apart. 

“The 2021 is quite simply the most exquisite, refined young Masseto I have ever tasted,” wrote Antonio Galloni of Vinous in his 100-point review. A return to the 100%-Merlot purity on which the wine was founded—the last few years included a bit of Cabernet Franc—this vintage is a reminder that Masseto truly is the apogee of varietal Merlot. 

Lodovico Antinori comes from Tuscan winemaking royalty, and in founding Ornellaia, his aim was to compete with the wine that put Super Tuscans on the map: his own cousin’s Sassicaia. So he made Ornellaia, a Bordeaux-style blend that, like Sassicaia, would be dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon. 

But Tenuta dell’Ornellaia had one anomalous 17-acre section: a hilltop that legendary consultant André Tchelistcheff knew was not ideal for Cabernet. However, it was rich in the type of blue clay found at Château Petrus—the kind known for producing world-class Merlot.

Tchelistcheff recommended planting Merlot. Antinori was ambivalent, since the grape was all but unheard of in Tuscany. Finally, in 1984, he heeded Tchelistcheff’s advice and planted the Masseto hill purely to Merlot. 

Four decades later, Masseto stands as the most sought-after Merlot in the world. This wine has eclipsed the Cabernet-dominant Super Tuscans to become one of the most celebrated bottlings on the globe, bar none, and you should not pass up a chance to cellar it—especially when it is adorned with a flawless score. This is a perennial head-turner at the table. You’ll thank yourself.