Auction Name: 2025 December 12 Fine & Rare Wine Signature® Auction - Beverly Hills

Lot Number: 67

Shortcut to Lot: HA.com/5577*67

Masseto 2021
Tenuta dell'Ornellaia
banded owc
Imperial (1)

The Pinnacle Collection A rare continuation of one of the most celebrated cellars offered this year, this release represents the second tranche from our single-owner September Signature Sale. Assembled over decades by an industry insider with unparalleled access to the world’s top estates, every bottle was acquired upon release and stored in ideal, professional conditions. Defined by its flawless provenance and uncompromising curation, The Pinnacle Collection stands as a testament to connoisseurship at the highest level—a truly exceptional opportunity for collectors to acquire wines of unmatched pedigree and perfection.

"2021 was a hot vintage, but you can feel plenty of freshness in this wine. It has a lovely perfume of crushed hedgerow berries and some herbal notes, while in the mouth it's intense, ferrous and stony, with soft, silky tannins, some creamy cherry on the mid-palate, and intense acidity which keeps things moving. The textural detail is sublime and the verticality and fruit sapidity on display here is nothing short of breathtaking." (99 pts. James Button, Decanter, Nov. 2024)

"The 2021 Masseto is back to being 100% Merlot. Recent past vintages saw a tiny part of Cabernet Franc. That second varietal in the blend represents the proverbial "tax" one must pay in the face of climate change, especially when making wine on the sun-drenched Tuscan Coast. This is a very rich and elaborate expression with the extract, tannic tightness and the hefty 15.5% alcohol content to match. It comes off as quite big-boned or monotone. The wine is redolent of blackberry confit and cooked cherry, with a wide range of sweet oak spices to close. There is dark chocolate with a thin lining of creamy mint filling. Within the context of that fullness and generous fruit weight, Masseto is quite a commitment in terms of price and further cellaring. More bottle aging is an absolute requirement." (95 pts. Monica Larrner, Wine Advocate, Feb. 2024)

"Blueberries and black olives with violets and hints of sage, as well as rosemary flowers. Full and powerful with lots of fruit and vanilla on the palate. A rich and flavorful red, yet held together beautifully. Muscular and powerful. Needs five or six years to come together. Give it time." (98 pts. James Suckling, July 2023)

"The 2021 Masseto is a stunner. It also shows how much the estate has evolved in recent years. I was reminded of that recently when I drank the 2001, considered by many observers, including this one, to be one of the greatest wines ever made here. The 2021 represents a move towards a more refined style. There’s less of the bombastic intensity and extraction that were once the norm here. I remember young vintages that were impossible to taste young. The 2021, on the other hand, is an absolute delight. Crushed flowers, spice, blood orange and bright, red-toned fruit all grace the palate. Floral aromatics and saline underpinnings are at times reminiscent of the Cabernet Franc found in the 2019 and 2020, but the 2021 is back to the classic 100% Merlot. Readers will find a Masseto built on linear energy more than volume. The 2021 is quite simply the most exquisite, refined young Masseto I have ever tasted. Aging was 24 months in 100% new French oak." (100 pts. Antonio Galloni, Vinous, Dec. 2024)

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