Masi : Costasera 1990

Characteristics and Tasting Tips for Costasera 1990 by Masi

Tasting

Colour
This wine displays a deep, dark red colour, almost opaque, while still showing youthful highlights at the rim.

Nose
The powerful bouquet is dominated by aromas of cooked fruit and raisins, intertwined with enticing notes of plum and cherry and enriched by hints of coffee, cocoa, cinnamon and vanilla.

Palate
On the palate, the texture is remarkably velvety. This rich, full-bodied wine delivers intense flavours of brandied cherries and prunes. The whole is wonderfully supple, with remarkable persistence that carries through to a long finish marked by nuances of cinnamon, liquorice, tobacco and bitter chocolate.

Food and wine pairings
This cuvée is a superb match for grilled or roasted red meats, as well as game or quail dishes. It also enhances characterful, long-aged cheeses such as Parmesan, Pecorino or Gorgonzola. Finally, it can be savoured on its own at the end of a meal as a true vino da meditazione.

Serving and cellaring
To fully enjoy Costasera 1990, it is recommended to serve it at 20°C. With an exceptional ageing potential estimated at 25 to 30 years, this vintage is best enjoyed until around 2020.

The Balance and Finesse of an Amarone della Valpolicella Classico from Masi in Veneto

The estate
Although the Boscaini family has been growing vines since 1772, the modern Masi dates back to the second half of the 20th century, with the bottling of its first wine in 1958. Located in Veneto, this historic house is now headed by Sandro Boscaini. Renowned worldwide, the brand has established itself as a true benchmark thanks to its exceptional mastery of appassimento, the traditional technique of drying grapes. Drawing on its family identity and its commitment to sustainability, the estate enjoys international acclaim while preserving the authenticity of its terroirs.

The vineyard
The grapes come from hillside plots in the historic zone of the Amarone della Valpolicella Classico appellation, which encompasses the communes of Marano, Negrar, Sant'Ambrogio and San Pietro in Cariano. These vines enjoy a privileged exposure facing the setting sun, overlooking Lake Garda. They thrive on crumbly red limestone soils, as well as on Cretaceous marl and limestone rock, providing ideal conditions for the berries to ripen.

The vintage
1990 is regarded as an exceptional year, earning the estate's highest rating of five stars. Particularly favourable weather conditions greatly assisted the grape-drying process while drastically limiting the risk of disease. This ideal weather produced grapes of remarkable quality throughout the growing season.

Vinification and ageing
Costasera 1990 is crafted using the traditional appassimento method. The finest bunches, harvested in late September or early October, are laid out on bamboo racks in well-ventilated lofts. By late January, they have lost between 25 and 40% of their weight, thereby concentrating their sugars. After gentle pressing and partial destemming, fermentation takes place over 45 days in large Slavonian oak casks at naturally low temperatures. A second fermentation lasting one year at 18°C precedes malolactic fermentation. The wine is then aged for three years in 30- to 40-hectolitre Slavonian oak casks, followed by at least six months of bottle ageing.

Grape varieties
70% Corvina, 20% Rondinella and 10% Molinara.