Tenuta dell´Ornellaia - Masseto 2014

JAMES SUCKLING: "Beautiful aromas of violets and blackberry with hints of spice. Some sweet tobacco. Full body, yet refined and polished with ultra-fine tannins and a long, long finish. The texture and intensity are exceptional. Fantastic for the vintage. Drink in 2021 but a joy to taste."

FALSTAFF: "Leuchtendes, sattes Rubin mit leichtem Violettschimmer. Feine und duftige Nase, satt, nach Brombeere und Cassis, dahinter nach Lakritze und Kardamom, Schokolade. Cremig und rund am Gaumen, sehr geschmeidig, zeigt viel reife Frucht, feinmaschiges, intensives Tannin, feiner Schmelz, sehr langer Nachhall."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The 2014 Masseto has developed beautifully over the past few years of its oak and bottle evolution. This is a very distinctive edition of the iconic Italian Merlot that delivers a silky and streamlined approach. As bold and opulent as Masseto is in the warm vintages, I personally find those wines difficult to finish because the extract, concentration and intensity are so over the top. The best vintages of Masseto usually overpower any food dish you put before them. This is a subdued and downplayed expression instead. The cool summer season has shaped fresh berry notes of wild blackberry and cassis with drying mineral, tobacco, licorice and tar. There is evident sweetness here in terms of the wine's fruit flavors and its tannins, but there also is a cooling vein of acidity that makes the difference. The alcohol feels integrated and light. If you are hankering for a less massive and less muscular Masseto, this vintage is for you."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "100% Merlot. Black olive, liquorice, dark chocolate, and plenty of furry tannic substance on the palate. Lovely bright acid too, giving a lift to the finish. Not a shy wine, but not brash either – this has subtlety and contrast."

WINE SPECTATOR: " Offers piercing black cherry and black currant fruit on a lighter profile, with vibrant acidity. Refined tannins make this harmonious, picking up a touch of chocolate on the spicy finish. Merlot. -- Non-blind Masseto vertical (October 2017). Best from 2020 through 2035. 325 cases imported."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "Aromas of cedar, red berry, pipe tobacco and a whiff of toasted oak lift out of the glass. The elegant but restrained palate delivers red cherry, cassis, licorice and exotic spice alongside bright acidity and fine-grained polished tannins. It's an admirable effort for the cool wet vintage."