It’s said that the decision by Lamberto Frescobaldi to place the distribution of Super Tuscan Masseto in the hands of French negociants in 2009 was the catalyst for other international fine wines to list themselves on La Place de Bordeaux – but why did the marchese do it?
That was revealed during a vertical tasting of Masseto earlier this month in London featuring vintages from the latest 2021 release to one from 1995 – an event that was held for a selection of press to showcase the style and longevity of this great wine, which is made entirely from Merlot, grown in Bolgheri. Talking about the need to “hold back a bit” of Masseto for customers, as well as tastings such as the one that took place on 4 November, Marchese Lamberto Frescobaldi admitted that it’s “very difficult” to keep stock for a wine that has a level of demand that far outstrips supply. And it was the issue of a shortage of Masseto for the company’s customers that explained the move five years ago to a French system of distribution, which sees the wine disseminated worldwide by a selection of Bordeaux-based negociants, as opposed to having a single importer/distributor in each market. Lamberto explained, “A lot of our clients don’t understand why we offer them only three bottles, asking us, have we misbehaved?” referring to the fact that Masseto is so supply-constrained that it sells wine in three-packs – as opposed to the more normal six- or 12-bottle cases.
This Article was originally published on The Drink Business - Fine Wine
