2019 Fattoria la Massa Toscana (750ml)

Sangiovese from Tuscany, Italy

B-21 Top Recommendation
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Described as “one of the most electric wineries in Italy” by the Wine Advocate’s Monica Larner, it’s easy to love the elegant 96 pt. 2019 Fattoria la Massa Toscana, a meticulously balanced Super Tuscan style red revealing lush, juicy fresh fruit with enticing minerality on a precise, savory finish and a superb value for Italian wine lovers and fans of bold Sangiovese blends seeking a bargain priced red to enjoy often.

Considered both a visionary and renegade in the region, the Wine Advocate’s Monica Larner calls winemaker Giampaolo Motta “the secret sauce” of La Massa, his decision to produce a declassified red in lieu of a Chianti Classico inspired by his time spent in Bordeaux. Located in the spectacular Conca d’Oro or “Golden Basin” of Panzano amphitheater also home to top Chianti producers including Fontodi and Castello di Rampolla, Giampaolo purchased the 45 hectare La Massa property in the early 1990’s, implementing a lengthy restoration of the historic estate’s 27 hectares of sustainably farmed hillside vineyards and building a new state of the art winery designed by the same architects responsible for facilities at Chateaux Latour, Petrus and Mouton Rothschild. Initially working under the direction of famed enologist and friend Carlo Ferrini, Giampaolo has relied on renowned French consultant Stephane Derenoncourt since 2008 to refine the entry level Toscana along with his flagship Giorgio Primo blend, leaning “strongly towards Bordeaux for inspiration” according to critic Antonio Galloni while reflecting its vineyard origins in Panzano, the estate more recently energized by an investment from the Tommasi Family Estates of Valpolicella. Situated northwest of the town of Panzano, La Massa’s vines are planted with a southern facing exposure at elevations from 315 to 460 meters above sea level in mostly clay mixed with schistous galestro, the soil enhancing graphite aromas and adding distinct minerality to the 2019 Toscana. Blending 50% Sangiovese with Merlot, Petit Verdot and a small amount of Alicante Bousquet that darkens the color, Giampaolo aged the harmonious and refined 2019 Fattoria la Massa Toscana in mostly stainless steel with 20% in barrique, around 10% of the barrels from new French oak, yielding fresh, fragrant fruit balanced by vibrant acidity and well-integrated tannins, summed up as “a little masterpiece” by the Wine Advocate’s Monica Larner.

Describing it as “both a fabulous expression of the estate and a ridiculous value,” the enticing 96 pt. 2019 Fattoria la Massa Toscana “delivers the goods" according to Vinous critic Antonio Galloni, a delicious and well-crafted Super Tuscan blend bargain priced for less than many of its high profile neighbors' Chianti Classicos that’s not only one of the region’s top values but one of the best red wine values in all of Italy.

96WI

94WA

This 2019 La Massa is a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It starts with smoke, spice and bitter cherry notes on the nose. Oak notes dominate at first but on standing it opens up to fragrant, floral notes like rose and iris. On the palate it is round and smooth but not too heavy. This is a very stylish wine that manages to balance elegance with plenty of depth of flavor, tied together with juicy acidity and fine tannins. I love the purity, brightness of this wine and the deft touch of the winemaker. There is a brilliance to the fruit and a high quality to the tannins which mark it out as something special.

96 points, Susan Hulme, Wine Independent (Jan 2023)

The estate's entry-level 2019 La Massa is 50% Sangiovese and 30% Merlot, with the remaining 20% of the blend Petit Verdot and Alicante Bouschet. The wine sees mostly stainless steel, although 20% of the total finishes in barrique. Because the Sangiovese grape does not produce very dense wines, La Massa gets its dark appearance from the other grapes, especially the Alicante Bouschet. It follows that those carefully selected blending elements also contribute to the wine's juicy concentration and black fruit flavors. However, the pretty minerality you sense here and the balanced freshness certainly come from the Sangiovese. This vintage yields tight and linear results. Production was also generous in 2019, with 120,000 bottles released. This is a little masterpiece at an affordable price.

94 points, Monica Larner, Wine Advocate (Feb 2023)

Alcohol By Volume: 13.5%

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$23.98

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