Tenuta Ornellaia - Masseto 2006 - Frescobaldi

Masseto's production is a game of balance: one feels like a tightrope walker always on the edge of a precipice. The production of wine in Masseto is both an adventure and a continuous discovery. A place where intuition prevailed, where no one could be sure of the success of the fragile Merlot, even if the presence of blue Pliocene clays suggested the possibility of success. In fact, clayey soils present some contradictions: A capacity to store large quantities of water and to release it very gradually. Soil that is cold and wet in rainy years but becomes rock hard in hot summers, creating a physical barrier for roots as they struggle to descend deep underground. A soil in which, with a low planting density, a level of vigor is reached that would normally be expected from a high density vineyard. The Masseto vines seem to constantly struggle with the elements, often on the verge of collapse but somehow always able to resist and produce fruits with incredible concentration and flavor. A rare combination of vigorous ripeness and sumptuous concentration that somehow manages to preserve complexity and freshness. Every single vintage expresses the unmistakable character of Masseto, but with a slightly different interpretation - just as a masterpiece of music sounds differently depending on the artist who plays it.