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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 89.4 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 53 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by John O' on 12/10/2017: Beautifully integrated. enjoy (1978 views) | | | Tasted by mike410 on 11/19/2017 & rated 93 points: My last bottle out of a case of 12 and the best bottle I have tasted. It's so well balanced now, and the fruit is not overpowered by anything else. (1726 views) | | | Tasted by stefad on 7/6/2017 & rated 92 points: Dernière bouteille et parfaite ! Belle matière, suave, tanins fondus. 92/100 (2054 views) | | | Tasted by mike410 on 10/3/2015 & rated 92 points: 9 months since my last notes. Still very consistent with my last tasting. (3460 views) | | | Tasted by mike410 on 1/13/2015 & rated 92 points: It seems this wine came out of it's slumber. Nicely balanced and very fruity. (4039 views) | | | Tasted by isbjoern on 10/4/2014 & rated 88 points: A very dark and dry wine, high extraction, slightly tannic and not very expressive, maybe in a closed phase, some blackcurrant, quite bitter on the finish. Bordeaux style. A wine that needs food, being served after an extrovert Cotes du Rhone Villages 2007 didn't do it any favor. - 88 points (3217 views) | | | Tasted by thomasjjackson on 9/1/2014 & rated 88 points: This wine was the so called "hammerwine" from a well known swiss wine merchant; we bought 48 bottles and drunk a dozen in the last years; at early ages the wine was closed and in comparison to other supertuscans more like a bordeaux wine. I hope this bottle is the break - dark ruby color - long legs - nose with floral aromas and wild cherries - a touch of tannin - very fruity with caramel - good finish (3070 views) | | | Tasted by mike410 on 6/18/2014: Not sure if a wine as this can get closed after a while but the aftertaste was lingering and bitter. Though the nose was exquisite and the first taste in the mouth of was nice it definitely was off afterwards. I'll try again in a year. (3111 views) | | | Tasted by mike410 on 11/24/2013 & rated 90 points: 2 years since my last tasting. Not as enjoyable as my last bottle. The wine shows more spicy tones then last time. Probably won't get any better with age. (2550 views) | | | Tasted by EMTAME on 1/20/2013 & rated 88 points: Nothing wrong with this wine...it's well made and quite consistent across the vintages I've had. I just wish the Sangiovese wasn't so overshadowed by its New World partner. Not my style, but I suspect it would be a crowd pleaser and the price is right for what you're getting. (3388 views) | | | Tasted by bjecjohnson on 8/11/2012 & rated 87 points: APPEARANCE: Dark, brick red
AROMA: Herbs and asian spices, basil, potting soil
TASTE: Little bit of heat with some tannins, short finish with a hint of radish (3933 views) | | | Tasted by youngvintners on 4/24/2012: pnp. alcoholic when opened. settles dows quickly. black cherry, medium bodied, mildly tannic finish. went well with pizza. not too complex. (4105 views) | | | Tasted by rallylizard on 4/5/2012 & rated 89 points: Rich color, slightly cloudy ruby. Moderately aromatic, dark fruit flavor with nice minerality. A very classic Toscana, smoother than anticipated, my biggest complaint is the fruit is taking a back seat to other flavors (and not in the interesting kind of way). If you like fruit-forward wines, this is not for you. If you want a smoother rendition of a Toscana classic that pairs excellent with food, go for it. Finish is medium in length, but again, not so powerful as to leave one fully satisfied. For $20/bottle, I'd go elsewhere for a great QPR option. Would not cellar for much longer. (3993 views) | | | Tasted by JVG on 12/8/2011 & rated 88 points: Color: Dark, glass-staining purple, almost opaque in the center.
Nose: Very tight. Not much coming through other than a rich, melted milk chocolate note, vanilla, and maybe a tiny whiff of plum. As it breathes in the glass, a little bit more dark fruit emerges, as well as a hint of leather and cellar dust.
Mouthfeel: Medium-full bodied and velvety.
Palate: Dark, sweet and tart fruit, like blackcurrant jam, with lots of chocolate and some baking spice. The finish is rich and pleasant, but of moderate length, leaving behind firm but not overbearing tannins and a cocoa bitterness at the back of the tongue.
This is an opulent, luxuriant wine, with good pure fruit and great concentration if not much complexity or subtlety. If you like dark fruit and chocolate, you'll like this. If it weren't disappointing on the nose, and if it had a little bit more in the way of secondary flavors, I would have been very happy. But I give it credit for its tastiness. (4336 views) | | | Tasted by Ceo on 11/3/2011 & rated 88 points: Great with pizza (3794 views) | | | Tasted by jdrago on 9/24/2011 & rated 87 points: Big tannins, needs aging to smooth out. Expect to be really Good by 2013. (3330 views) | | | Tasted by Giggs on 5/1/2011 & rated 92 points: Lovely SuperTuscan, pretty nose, very floral, with purple fruit and a dose of vanilla. Full-bodied palate has juicy blackberry fruit up front but not overdone, with dark plum, cassis, mountain herbs, rawhide, and leathery tannins. Excellent balance overall and very enjoyable. Drink now. (4082 views) | | | Tasted by stevetimko on 4/9/2011: I liked this. The sangiovese shows through clearly. Nice acidity. Dark cherry and maybe a little cola flavors. Nice finish. Good structure. I'd buy this. It seems food friendly. (4222 views) | | | Tasted by ikkaariainen on 10/16/2010 & rated 89 points: Enjoyed at Insieme in NYC with Kim and my sister paired with the chef's tasting menu. Very nice still young but very approachable sangiovese, this vintage almost pure sangiovese rather then the more typical super-Tuscan blend of some of the other recent vintages. Dark purple, initially tight but opened up very nicely over the course of the dinner - would thus recommend a short decant but this wine is almost ready to drink as is. Nose surprisingly expressive with some earth, cola, dark cherry and at the end almost a floral note of lilac. Medium bodied, very smooth / well balanced, notes of terroir, dark plum and smoke developing late on the palate. Marked up significantly at the restaurant but at the currently listed average CT price a very good QPR - definitely recommend this and could see this cellaring well for 3-5 years but not a long term cellar project. (4899 views) | | | Tasted by czar33 on 9/2/2010 & rated 87 points: Très bien fait, aucun doute, sec et droit, mais quelque peu anonyme. Pour le prix (24,75$), correct. (4717 views) | | | Tasted by ludwigbpm on 8/9/2010 & rated 90 points: Ce vin m'apparait de mieux en mieux avec chaque chaque nouveau millésime. On évite de tomber dans le IGT trop mur et confituré, pour adopter un style plus proche du Chianti Classico. Une certaine acidité vient tendre une belle matière fruitée, et l'élevage est bien dosé. Très bon vin à petit prix. (4817 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (9/15/2011)
(La Massa IGT Toscana Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, In a Tuscan State of Mind (Oct 2010)
(Fattoria La Massa La Massa) Subscribe to see review text. | By Ian D'Agata
Vinous, July/August 2010, IWC Issue #151
(La Massa Toscana Rosso) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of JancisRobinson.com and Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| La Massa Producer Website
U.S. Importer (Addt'l Info)
Producer Location (Google Maps)
Source: VinConnect (VinConnect.com)
Fattoria La Massa can be found hidden amongst the Chianti Classico hills of Panzano in the prestigious “Conca d’Oro,” (Golden Basin). It was acquired by its passionate owner, Giampaolo Motta, in 1992. Giampaolo, originally from Naples, came to the area in 1989 to follow his dream of making high quality wines. After working in some of the most famous Chianti Classico estates and spending time in Bordeaux, Giampaolo established La Massa with the technical consultation of famed enologist and friend Carlo Ferrini. Since the end 2008, he relies on the advice of renowned Stéphane Derenoncourt for the vineyards and cellar.
La Massa’s vineyards range in altitude from 315 to 460 meters (1,033 to 1,510 feet) above sea level, occupying an area of about 45 hectares (111 acres), of which 27 are planted with vines. As a result of a 10-year research project dedicated to understanding the distinct terroir of the area, a complete re-structuring of the vineyards has been carried out over the past few years, respecting the particular characteristics of the soil, geography and microclimate.
The estate’s main varieties are the classic Tuscan Sangiovese as well as varieties more typical of Bordeaux, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Giampaolo is passionate about the great wines of Bordeaux and is convinced of the magnificent potential that these varieties have in the terroir of La Massa. In fact, since the 2007 vintage, he has decided to eliminate Sangiovese completely from La Massa’s flagship Giorgio Primo IGT blend, resulting in a wine that more fully represents his personality.
La Massa produces two wines: La Massa IGT (predominantly Sangiovese, blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) and the winery’s first wine, Giorgio Primo IGT (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot). Driven by an unremitting pursuit of excellence, Giampaolo’s dedication and enthusiasm continues to be recognized worldwide, receiving accolades for his wines from the most important wine critics and publications.
“La Massa has a long history of generations of people who have worked the unique soils of Panzano to cultivate the noble grapes of Bordeaux. In fact, the history of La Massa goes back to 1490 and the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes have been here for nearly 400 years. I am dedicated to continuing this rich tradition at La Massa and bringing my own experience and knowledge with rigor and classicism to produce quality wine.” – Giampaolo Motta
SuperTuscan BlendSuperTuscan Blend refers to wines which feature a significant Sangiovese component combined with grapes not traditionally associated with Italy like Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. This separates it from "Sangiovese blend" which is used for wines which are predominantly Sangiovese and combined with traditional Italian varieties. There is often confusion as many wines most famous associated with the term "Super Tuscan" like Sassicaia, Masseto and Ornellaia have no Sangiovese and are properly linked to 'Red Bordeaux Blend.'
In fact, Super Tuscan was a term coined to refer specifically to wines such as Sassicaia and Tignanello. These were wines that "fell out" of the official DOCG classification of Italian wines because they either contained grapes not permitted (international varietals such as cabernet sauvignon or merlot,) were aged differently (I.e. in barrique) or were 100% sangiovese - which was not permitted at the time for Chianti (E.g. Fontodi Flaccianello.) Forced to be classified as simply "Vina di Tavola" these wines nontheless quickly found favour in international markets and comanded prices above the highest quality DOCG Chianti Classico & Brunello di Montalcino wines at the time. The wine industry and press began to refer to these wines as SuperTuscans because of their popularity and quality, but also because of the prices they commanded. Subsequently, the Italian authorities, under the Goria Law 1992, redrew the classifications, and included the category IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) to classify the SuperTuscans.Italy Italian Wines (ItalianMade.com, The Italian Trade Commission) | Italian Wine Guide on the WineDoctorTuscany Tuscany (ItalianMade.com) | TuscanytToscana IGTHere is the Wikipedia entry for Toscana wine. |
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