Masi : Costasera 1985

Tasting Notes and Serving Tips for Masi's Costasera 1985

Tasting Notes

Appearance
This wine reveals a deep ruby red colour, highlighted by dark garnet hues.

Nose
The aromatic bouquet opens with indulgent notes of cherry jam, delicately enhanced by touches of fresh ginger.

Palate
The palate offers rich flavours of fruits preserved in brandy, accompanied by elegant nuances of rhubarb. The finish is long, powerful and particularly dry.

Food and Wine Pairing
This wine pairs wonderfully with roasted or grilled red meats, as well as game dishes. It also matches perfectly with characterful cheeses such as Parmesan, and makes an excellent choice to round off the end of a meal.

Serving and Cellaring
To fully appreciate this 1985 vintage, it is recommended to serve it at a temperature of 20°C. With an ageing potential of 30 to 35 years, this wine could be kept and enjoyed until around 2020.

An Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Emblematic of the Veneto

The Estate
Although the Boscaini family's first harvest dates back to 1772, Masi Agricola was officially founded in 1972. Located in the Veneto, this historic estate now manages a vast vineyard of around 560 hectares. Still under the control of the founding family, the estate is currently headed by Sandro Boscaini. Renowned for its expertise in the appassimento technique, this prestigious brand is distinguished by its commitment to sustainability and the promotion of native grape varieties, establishing itself as a true benchmark in Italian winemaking.

The Vineyard
The grapes used for this Amarone della Valpolicella Classico come from vines planted on west- and south-west-facing hillsides overlooking Lake Garda. These plots are located in the historic communes of Marano, Negrar, Sant'Ambrogio and San Pietro in Cariano. The vines thrive on friable red limestone soils enriched with Cretaceous-era marl, providing ideal conditions for the ripening of the grapes.

The Vintage
1985 was marked by a particularly dry season. Nevertheless, a favourable growing cycle allowed the vines to recover well. Subsequently, weather conditions proved ideal for the grape-drying process, which took place from early October through to mid-January.

Winemaking and Ageing
The Costasera 1985 is crafted using the traditional appassimento method. Hand-harvested between late September and early October, the finest bunches are laid out on bamboo racks in well-ventilated drying rooms until the end of January, losing 35 to 40% of their weight to concentrate their sugars. In this particular year, only the Corvina grape developed noble rot. After gentle pressing and partial destemming, the must ferments for 45 days in large Slavonian oak casks at a naturally low temperature. This is followed by a second, year-long fermentation at 18°C and a malolactic fermentation. The wine is then aged for three to four years in Slavonian oak barrels, before a final refinement of at least six months in bottle.

Grape Varieties
This blend is composed of 70% Corvina, 20% Rondinella and 10% Molinara.