Masi GRANDARELLA Amarone Appassimento Veneto

Masi COSTASERA Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Veneto from Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella by Masi Powerful Reds (6 x 75 cl)

DESCRIPTION OF THE WINE Campolongo di Torbe is the most elegant of Masi’s Amarone crus. It is characterized by a rounded almondy flavour and by great intensity and balance. The choice of this vineyard is based not only on many years of technical experimentation at the Masi winery, but also on a very important historical document that indicates Mazzano and Torbe vineyards as the best in the valley for the production of this high-quality wine. In fact, with a contract dated 1194 , the monks of San Zeno Monastery, landowners of the entire Negrar Valley, leased the land to a certain Musio di Panego for a period of 29 years. The rent had to be paid with a certain quantity of grapes produced in the best area of the fiefdom, indicated as the Mazzano vineyards. If the vineyards yielded a poor crop because of hail, or other reasons, grapes had to be harvested at Capavo. This denomination is no longer in use but it corresponds to the upper hillside area of Torbe, where the vineyards of Campolongo di Torbe are now located. (6 x 75 cl)

DESCRIPTION OF THE WINE The choice of these vineyards is based not only on many years of technical experimentation at the Masi winery, but also on a very important historical document that indicates the Mazzano and Torbe vineyards as the best in the Negrar valley for the production of Amarone. In fact, in a contract dated 1194 , the monks of San Zeno Monastery, landowners of the entire Negrar Valley, leased the land to a certain Musio di Panego for a period of 29 years, and the rent had to be paid with a certain quantity of grapes produced in the best area of the fiefdom, indicated as the Mazzano vineyards. If the vineyards had yielded a poor crop because of hail, or for any other reason, the contract stipulated that grapes had to be harvested at Capavo.This denomination is no longer in use but it corresponds to the upper hillside area of Torbe, where we now find the Campolongo di Torbe vineyards. Mazzano was described by Sheldon and Pauline Wasserman as the Amarone which “sets the standard by which we judge the others” and Jancis Robinson in her “Vintage Timecharts” evaluated this wine as one of only four Italian wines to be included in the best 46 wines of the world. Mazzano is an austere and majestic wine, a true Amarone designed from its conception to be a great red wine and not just a lesser, drier style of Recioto. Mazzano is among the very few Amarones which can benefit from aging in small barrels. (6 x 75 cl)

Masi FRESCARIPA Bardolino Classico Veneto from Italy, Veneto, Bardolino by Masi Light & Fruity Reds (12 x 75 cl)

The term "recioto" probably comes from the dialect word "recia" which means the upper and outer parts of the bunches of grapes. These "recie" are the grapes which are ripest and which enjoy the best exposure to the sun. The word "recia" may be derived from the Latin word "racemus" which means bunch. Our opinion is that the word comes from the Latin "recisus" that means a bunch cutted and let down to dry. Recioto is the standard (6 x 75 cl)

Masi COLBARACA Soave Classico Superiore Veneto from Italy, Veneto, Soave by Masi Fruity Dry Whites (6 x 75 cl)

Masi BROLO di CAMPOFIORIN Veneto Rosso del Veronese IGT from Italy, Veneto by Masi Powerful Reds (6 x 75 cl)

Corbec has already shown great complexity, balance, power and elegance in this first experimental year. The unique and easy to recognise qualities of Corvina have balanced perfectly with the exuberant virility and tannins of the Malbec, making for a unique and fascinating aroma/taste profile.As with Amarone, this wine will go well with strong-tasting foods and mature cheeses. To be served in large glasses at 18°C. VINIFICATION Masi are specialists in the appassimento method with their four Amarone wines and three Reciotos. This is the method applied here in successive stages after a harvest of selected grapes up to the final assemblage. The selected grape bunches were laid on specially constructed wooden trays, made in imitation of the Venetian “arelle”, for 22 days. The time taken for appassimento was short thanks to the naturally dry, warm and well-ventilated local climate. The grapes lost about 31% of their weight and gained in concentration of sugars and aromas. Soft pressing and de-stalking followed. The grapes were fermented at a constant 16°C for 30 days in stainless steel tanks. After racking, the wine completed its fermentation at 18°C for 35 days with the help of selected yeasts. Maturation followed in medium-toasted French oak barriques for 18 months. The separate varieties were then assembled and the resulting wine was transported to Italy in flexitank containers under a nitrogen seal. Ageing continued in stainless steel containers until the bottling period in January. Good bottle-ageing potential is predicted. (6 x 75 cl)

Masi LEVARIE Soave Classico from Italy, Veneto, Soave by Masi Fruity Dry Whites (12 x 75 cl)