The 2009 La Massa flows from the glass with layers of freshly cut flowers, dark red berries and subtle French oak. This radiant red from Chianti Classico’s famed Conca d’Oro impresses for its open personality and inner palate juiciness. This is a striking wine from La Massa and proprietor Giampaolo Motta. In 2009 Motta opted for relatively short fermentations of 12-15 days for his Sangiovese. The blend was 70% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2019. Never satisfied, the relentless Giampaolo Motta continues to push the envelope at La Massa. Vintage 2009 is the first in which he worked with Stephan Derenoncourt for the entire harvest. The entry-level La Massa, now a showcase for the estate’s Sangiovese, is made with a shorter fermentation and an eye on finesse more than the heft of previous years. Over the last few years Motta has restyled Giorgio Primo to focus on Cabernet Sauvignon. Unfortunately I was not able to taste the 2009, but I did revisit the 2007 and 2008. Motta describes 2009 as an important vintage. Cool weather and rain allowed the fruit to recover from the intense August heat. Vintage 2008 was a year of average heat and sun, with rain during the harvest that required a focus on the best-exposed parcels. Motta is quite candid that he isn’t fully satisfied with how some of his earlier wines have aged. With this amount of dedication it is only a matter of time before Motta finds an approach he is happier with. Importers: Martin Scott Wines, Little Neck, NY; tel. (516) 327-0808; Wine Warehouse, City of Commerce, CA; tel. (323) 724-1700; Cavatappi Distribution, Seattle, WA; tel. (206) 282-5226; Bommarito Wines, Saint Louis, MO; tel. (314) 961-8996; The Wine Company, St. Paul, MN; tel. (651) 487-1212; Un Po Pazzo, Boca Raton, FL; tel. (561) 391-6008