La Massa Toscana – Costco Week Wine #4

60% Sangiovese, 30% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon/Alicante Bouschet from Chianti, Italy.

Purchased at Costco for only $12.99.

From the winery:

“La Massa is right in the heart of Chianti Classico. Because of of the densely planted and wide range of orientations and soil types, La Massa has great complexity, beautiful harmony, super-ripe tannins.

14.0% Alcohol”

Today’s wine is a case in point in why I love shopping at Costco. Yes, the selection is limited and yes some are upset that the wine buyers at Costco see wine as a simple commodity akin to toilet paper, but oh are the prices good! The La Massa retails for $12.99 at my Costco location but compare that to the average price on the 2010 vintage on Wine-Searcher — a whopping $25! So basically Costco is selling this wine for almost 50% of the average price sold elsewhere. For Reverse Wine Snobs trying to stay under $20 that opens up a whole lot of intriguing possibilities.

The 2010 La Massa Toscana begins with a simply wonderful aroma of succulent blackberries, vanilla, spice and some really fragrant floral notes. Tasting the wine reveals tons of rich, juicy fruit (mostly dark berries), along with licorice, some nice spice, a bit of smoke and dusty tannins. The La Massa really opens up beautifully after about an hour in the glass, so you’ll want to plan ahead just a bit. It ends dry, with a medium-long finish of slightly sour fruit. Massively good, I’ll take more La Massa please — especially at this price!

Wine in the 2013 Costco Week Series!

• Wine #1: Bodegas Barco de Piedra Tempranillo 2011 – Tastes like a lot more than $10!
• Wine #2: Kirkland Signature Malbec 2011 – Plenty good, but it’s not a pop and pour proposition.
• Wine #3: Atteca Old Vines Garnacha 2010 – Powerfully good Garnacha! BULK BUY!
• Wine #4: La Massa Toscana 2010 – More Massa for me please. BULK BUY!
• Wine #5: Tarima Monastrell 2011 – The M in GSM takes the stage under a different name and brings down the house.
• Wine #6: Castello Banfi Belnero 2009 – A Budget (Quasi-)Brunello

Buy this wine online from our featured sponsor Marketview Liquor or see a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.

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