The Influence of the sea

The sea is an integral part of every Masseto vintage.

In summer, its rippling surface acts as a vast mirror, doubling the sun’s brightness. The refracted sea light – pure, intense and indirect – fuels the vines, mellowing the grape tannins to a voluptuous, subtly nuanced balance.

As light pours over the vineyard, the sea brews another element. Soft, moisture laden Aeolian breezes that slide between the vines and around the grape bunches. The cool air tempers the ripening process, prolongs the gentle evolution of a bracing, balancing acidity and ensures the fruit is refreshed in the driest months, and dry in the wettest.

Beneath the earth, a third marine influence is at work. Roots find their way into the tract of million-year-old blue clay on which the vineyard now sits. Once seabed, it is filled with minerals and fossils of the life that was.

Above, around and below. Sea. Without it, Masseto would not exist.