Fattoria La Massa is an estate vineyard and winery in Panzano in Chianti, a locality (‘frazione’) within Greve in Chianti, a commune in the Chianti Classico DOCG region of Tuscany.

Owner: Giampaolo Motta (from Naples). A Bordeaux-lover, Motta bought it in 1992 after its previous owner went bankrupt. The buildings were run down but the vines were OK. Motta was in his twenties, and gave up his job with the family tanning business in Naples to come here (he trained in the chemistry relevant to dealing with shoe leather).

Motta had worked at John Dunkley’s Riecine estate whilst looking for his own one to buy. He also worked at Zonin’s Castello d’Albola and Castello dei Rampolla. The 1992 wines were made by Carlo Ferrini.

Vineyards: 27ha of vineyards facing south-east and south-west in the Conca d’Oro di Panzano with an average altitude of 360 m asl. The soils are mainly made up of ‘scaly’ clays and galestro. Spurred cordon. Yield per vine of about 0.9 kg of grapes. 6,250 vines per ha.

Red wines

Chianti Classico DOCG, La Massa: 2011 60% Sangiovese with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Alicante.

Chianti Classico DOCG, Giorgio Primo: 2002 90% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot. Dark, oaky, modern but well done, not too heavy and drinkable if international at Argiano on Friday 7th October 2005 with Hans, Noemi, NK and Melina Hong.

Contact

Fattoria La Massa, Via Case Sparse, 9

I-50020 Panzano in Chianti (FI), Italy

Website: www.lamassa.com.en/

Tel+39 055.852722

Bibliography

David Rowe, ‘A Classico case’, Decanter, June 1995 p.54-57

Bill Nesto MW & Frances Di Savino, Chianti Classico, the Search for Tuscany’s Noblest Wine, (University of California Press, 2016).