Masi Amarone Della Valpolicella Wine Tasting

Wine, like food, is so emotional. If you think about it, so much of the courting ritual is surrounded by wine and food. There’s a built-in romance to wine.

Padma Lakshmi

And there is no where on Earth more romantic that the city of Verona, the home of Romeo and Juliette.

You may know from my subliminal e-mail messages over the last two decades Amarone is one of my favorite wines on the planet. We plan at least two events that feature the best wines that this region has to offer every year.  I would surely include the wines produced under the auspices of the Masi estate in this elite group from the Veneto. The Sergio Allegheri wines along with the Masi single vineyard Campolongo are spectacular and their Campofiorin has been our go to entry level Amarone for the last few years.

Join us as we welcome Vittorio Marzotto to host a tasting of the entire line-up of Amarone from this historic estate.  Chef Toni Lampasone will be presenting a special menu to accompany the tasting wines, the fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $225 + tax for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.

Masi Amarone Della Valpolicella Wine Tasting
With Special Guest Vittorio Marzotto
Thursday, March 11, 2021
7:30 PM

2019 Masi Masianco Pinot Grigio Venezie
Price: $15.00       Your Price: $13.20

Pinot Grigio delle Venezie is the most up-to-date Italian white wine. The richness of the perfumes and aromas of this grape cultivated at Castions di Strada, in the Friuli region, complements the structure of the native Verduzzo grape, deliberately picked slightly over-ripe and matured on plateaux. Masianco is a Supervenetian of great personality which goes well with the typical dishes of today's cuisine: hors d'oeuvres, fish and grilled white meats.

2017 Masi Bonacosta Valpolicella Classico DOC
Price: $13.50       Your Price: $11.88

The blend is 70% Corvina, 25% Rondinella, 5% Molinara.  One of the classics of the great Veronese tradition, made by Masi in a contemporary style. Valpolicella Classico, praised by Hemingway as "a light, dry red wine, as friendly as the house of a favourite brother", is made in an elegant style full of simplicity and freshness.

2015 Masi Brolo Campofiorin Oro
Price: $28.75       Your Price: $25.30

This is the second vintage in this package kind of like a reserve version of this wine only 1/3 of the grapes are dried but they are dried for a longer time with the blend being 80% Corvina and 20% Rondinella aged in 600 liter barrels so no new barrique here. Has a good amount of ripe dark cherry liqueur like fruit, sweet tobacco spice, and some of that clay/playdough minerlaity from this area. Ncie richenss on the tongue with sweet ripe cherry berry fruit and a nice hand of spice and dried floral tones through the finish. Finish 40+ Excellent

2015 Masi Amarone Costasera Classico
Price: $57.75       Your Price: $50.82

Proud, majestic, complex and exuberant: this is Masi's gentle giant. A benchmark for the Amarone category, which, together with Barolo and Brunello, makes up the aristocracy of the Italian wine world. The product of Masi's unrivalled expertise in the appassimento technique, whereby traditional grapes for the Valpolicella Classica area - Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara - are laid out on bamboo racks to concentrate their aromas during the winter months.

2013 Masi Amarone della Valpolicella Riserva Costasera
Price: $79.50       Your Price: $69.96

This wine is only the fourth release for the Riserva and by law they have to be aged for an additional year so it is released on the third year. The ancient Oseleta varietal is also included in the blend in place of a percentage of the Corvina and these grapes are dried a bit longer. Has a smoky game like character to the dark berry fruit, dark cherry liqueur like fruit nice complexity on the nose has a more rustic quality and this is due to the Oseleta which has lots of tannins unlike the other varietals used in this region. Exotic spices, wild game, very rich and unctuous on the palate with smooth silky tannins with dark spices, coco and a long finish, big but still fresh and balanced. Finish 45+ Most Excellent

2011 Masi Serego Alighieri Vaio Armaron Amarone della Valpolicella
Price: $78.75       Your Price: $69.30

Located in Gargagnago, within the commune of Sant'Ambrogio di Valpolicella, this vineyard is part of the Conti Serego Alighieri family property. At 230-265 meters elevation, vineyards face southwest, with red soil rich in humus, on eocenic limestone and clay, with good drainage. Terraces are supported by dry stone walls call ‘marogne.’ Terrain and climatic conditions permit only limited production of very high-quality grapes. Amarone is made with the ancient method of "appassimento," drying of the grapes. Bunches are dried on bamboo racks with natural ventilation. By mid-February, the grapes weigh 35-40% less; only Corvina is affected by botrytis. After delicate pressing, the dried grapes are partially destemmed, fermented for 48 days in large Slavonian oak botti, at cold, natural temperatures until the sugar has transformed to alcohol, with malolactic. Aged 3 years in 6-20 hl Slavonian oak botti, 4 months in cherry wood casks’ minimum 5 months in bottle. Deep ruby red in colour, almost impenetrable. Elegant bouquet of marasca cherry conserve and cherries preserved in spirit accompanied by hints of chocolate and cinammon. Full bodied on the palate, complex and well balanced; the tannins stand out but are soft and silky. Long finish with hints of red fruit conserve and sweet spices.

2011 Masi Mazzano Amarone della Valpolicella
Price: $177.75    Your Price: $156.42

Masi Cru wines come from single vineyard (cru) sites selected by Masi from trails that began in the 1950s. Cru wines are reference point wines from the finest terroirs in Valpolicella. The historic Mazzano vineyard has been renowned for quality since the 12th Century, and its austere, majestic wine is a prototypical Amarone. Production is extremely limited and made only in the best years. Within Negrar commune, this vineyard has northeast/southwest exposure, an elevation of 350-415 metres, and brown soil of eocenic marls. Wide terraces are supported by natural, stone walls called ‘marogne.’

2011 Masi Campolongo Torbe Amarone
Price: $160.50    Your Price: $141.24

Within Negrar commune, this well-ventilated vineyard has southwest exposure at 375-400 metres elevation, and soil of deep, red eocenic limestone with good drainage, many stones, and beneficial mineral content. Amarone is made with the ancient method of 'appassimento' (drying of the grapes). At end of September or beginning of October, bunches are dried on bamboo racks. By mid-February, the grapes weigh 35-40% less and only Corvina is affected by botrytis. After pressing, the dried grapes are partially de-stemmed, fermented for about 45 days in large Slavonian oak botti, at very cold, natural temperatures until the sugar has completely transformed to alcohol, and malolactic occurs. The wine is aged 3 years: 60% in 30-40 hectoliter Slavonian oak botti; 40% in 600-liter Slavonian and Allier oak casks, new and 1, 2 and 3 yrs. old; minimum 6 months in bottle.

Menu

Selection of Cheese and Charcuterie

Stuffed Poblano with Forbidden Rice and A5 Japanese Filet Mignon
served over Black Bean Puree and Red Pepper Salsa

Hudson Valley Duck Breast served with Sundried Cherry Amarone Sauce
and Polenta Fries

Blue Cheese Flan

The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $225 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.  Please let us know when you make your reservation if you have any food allergies or preferences chef Toni will be happy to accommodate you if you.

A bit about Masi:

The Boscaini family have been the owners of the Masi vineyards for six generations. Sandro Boscaini is the company president. The other members of the family involved are Sandro's children: Alessandra and Raffaele, and his brothers: Bruno who looks after the production processes, and Mario who is a sleeping partner in the company.

Sandro graduated in Business and Economics at the Catholic University of Milan in 1964. He took charge of the commercial and marketing development of the company from the start of his career.  Internationally recognized as an innovator and promoter of wines from the Veneto on the world stage, Sandro was involved in the foundation of the modern wine fair Vinitaly in the 1960s and today part of the fair's Technical Commission. President of Masi Agricola SpA since 1978.Creator of the Masi Prize in 1981, he is also co-ordinator of the Masi Technical Group and Vice-President of the Masi Foundation.  His activities in the development of winemaking, and the promotion of wine and its associated cultural aspects, are widespread and well recognized.  This work has led him to become a member of numerous local associations and promotional bodies at a national and international level.  He is the prime mover behind leading promotional bodies abroad such as the Istituto Grandi Marchi (Institute for Leading Brands) and Excellence from Italy.

The signature Amarone, Coastasera is named aptly because the coasts which face the sunset are the best ones in Valpolicella Classica for producing a high-quality Amarone.  Here, where the day is longer, the vines, which overlook Lake Garda, benefit from the reflection of its light and its milder climate.  The 2011 vintage produced wines that are have excellent structure with good freshness that are drinking nicely at this young stage in their life.  Proud, majestic, complex and exuberant: this is Masi's gentle giant. A benchmark for the Amarone category, which, together with Barolo and Brunello,makes up the aristocracy of the Italian wine world.