Winemaker's Notes:

Rating: 88 Points (Wine Advocate)

“Full ruby-red. Raspberry, minerals, lead pencil, botanical herbs and violet on the nose. Bright and juicy, showing discreet floral red berry, licorice, white pepper and mineral flavors. Nicely integrated acidity and youthfully chewy tannins give this wine firm spine. This is the last vintage of Magdelaine (after this vintage Magdelaine was incorporated into Belair to create Belair-Monange), so allow me to raise my glass to the memory of a great chateau. The 1961 Magdelaine is one of the greatest red wines I have ever tasted. Classic jammy cherry notes as well as a distinctive crushed rock and chalky minerality are found in this dark ruby-colored 2011. Medium-bodied, compact and narrowly constructed as well as pure, elegant and attractive, it can be enjoyed over the next 7-8 years.”(Apr 2014)

Tasting Notes: Plum, Black Cherry, Mocha, Expresso

“Merlot for Cabernet lovers. The rich flavorful middle is framed by perfectly balanced tannin and acidity combining for mouth-coating viscosity. On the palate, this wine is full bodied, slightly acidic and velvety. The flavor profile is black cherry, sweet blueberry, ripe red plum, mineral, with notes of oak. We also detected hints of espresso. Finish is long with black pepper and brambly overtones. Pair with filet mignon.”

Rating: 90 Points (Vinous Media)

"The ripeness and weight of the year are evident in the 2015 Merlot. Dark and brooding in feel, with very ripe fruit, the Merlot offers good depth in its blackberry jam, spice and chocolate flavors. I would prefer to drink it sooner rather than later. - Antonio Galloni "

Rating: 100 Points (Wine Advocate)

"The release of this wine comes at a very happy time for the Masseto brand. The stunning 2015 Masseto is hitting the market just as the final touches are being made to the new Masseto winery. I'm told that Masseto might one day see other wines made under that same roof, so we can't exclude a future enlargement of the Masseto portfolio. The Masseto vineyard now covers seven hectares (divided into three plots), and the vines range from 30 to 40 years old. The wine is absolutely teeming with sensorial spirit that is transmitted through the bounty of the bouquet and the solid tannins of the mouthfeel. The 2015 vintage is characterized by a level of sheer exuberance that also defined the 2004 and 2007 vintages. Yet, it also reveals similar power, directness and linearity that we saw in the 2010 vintage. The 2015 Masseto takes the best of all those past vintages and confines those qualities to this single, spectacular bottle." (Monica Larner)