The 2010 Masseto is powerful, heady and explosive, with tons of density and pedigree to burn. On the one hand, I am happy to check in on it tonight, but on the other hand, the 2010 is very clearly a wine for the future. I wouldn’t dream of opening a bottle any time soon. The 2010 has been showier, but tonight it is decidedly reticent, and that's a shame, as it can be transcendental. It was one of the latest harvests at the property. Picking started on September 18 and wrapped up October 4.

I have always been impressed with the depth and grace to this wine since I tasted it from barrel. It's full-bodied with super integrated tannins and so much intense currant, berry character. A classic quality in this pure merlot wonder; feels like Pomerol from a top year like 2009. Try in 2017.

The 2010 Masseto is truly monumental, leaving you breathless and wordless all at once. Once you sip the wine, it takes a few minutes before you grasp the enormity of its beauty and potential. You almost have to wonder how enologist Axel Heinz could conceive of a wine this beautiful - and how did he execute it? I could wax poetic for hours: Dark cherry, chocolate, baking spice and tobacco smoke lift off the bouquet in thin veils and magical puffs. The quality of the aromas is exceptional, but again, the seamless integration is what makes Masseto a protagonist of Italian wine. No matter how much time goes by, that beauty will remain firmly etched in your memory bank. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030.

What a stunner, with its fat, juicy, ripe fruit laden personality, the wine is concentrated with layers of black and white cherry, kirsch, dark chocolate, caramel, fennel and earthy sensations. Young, as you would expect, the tannins are soft and ripe, but 5-10 years of cellaring, or at least 3 hours in the decanter are needed to get this going in your glass.

The phenomenal 2010 vintage shows why this wine is considered Italy's top purebred Merlot. Revealing structure, finesse and mesmerizing depth, it delivers blackberries, currants, cedar, exotic spices and mocha alongside firm, polished tannins and fresh acidity. It's well balanced with fantastic length and while it's delicious now, hold for more complexity. Drink 2015–2030. Kerin O'Keefe

Nuanced and inviting aromas of blackberry, dark plums and sweet oak spice are joined by hints of green fruit and celery leaf. There is a more elegant weight and feel to the 2010 than the 2011, although it does not have the exuberance of the 2006 vintage. Here, the hallmark traits of fleshy mid-palate and velvety tannins are balanced by green herb notes and flavours of attractive bitter orange. It is reminiscent of a top quality right-bank Bordeaux which has been transferred to Tuscany and evolved into a richer, sunnier style. Drinking Window 2017 - 2030
Tasted by Susan Hulme MW
Part of Five Masseto wines to buy