Masi : Costasera 1997

Tasting Characteristics and Advice for Masi's Costasera 1997

Tasting Notes

Appearance
This wine reveals a particularly dark and opaque ruby red hue, highlighted by delicate brown reflections at the edges of the glass.

Nose
The aromatic bouquet opens with intense scents of cherries macerated in brandy, subtly accompanied by nuances of carob.

Palate
The palate is both generous and velvety, revealing indulgent flavours of jam and cooked cherries. The whole retains a lovely freshness and great clarity on the finish, thanks to well-integrated tannins and balanced acidity.

Food and Wine Pairing
This cuvée pairs wonderfully with roasted or grilled red meats, as well as game dishes in sauce. It also enhances well-aged, strongly flavoured cheeses, such as Parmesan. Finally, it can be fully enjoyed on its own at the end of a meal, as a meditation wine.

Serving and Cellaring
To fully enjoy the Costasera 1997, it is recommended to serve it at a temperature of 20°C. Boasting exceptional ageing potential, this vintage can be kept and enjoyed until around 2032.

A Great Red Wine from Veneto, Symbol of Masi's Excellence

The Estate
Located in Gargagnago di Valpolicella in Veneto, Masi Agricola is a world reference. Although the Boscaini family has been growing vines here since 1772, the modern company and the brand as we know it today took shape in the 1970s. Today, the estate is still run by the founding family, with Sandro Boscaini at its head. Renowned for its unique expertise in the appassimento technique, the house exports its cuvées to more than 140 countries while maintaining a strong commitment to sustainable winegrowing.

The Vineyard
The grapes used for this Amarone della Valpolicella Classico cuvée come from the estate's finest hillside plots, located in the communes of Marano, Negrar, Sant'Ambrogio and San Pietro in Cariano. Facing west and south-west, these parcels enjoy prolonged late-day sunshine and the reflection of light off Lake Garda, under a mild climate. The vines thrive on friable red limestone soils, enriched with marl dating back to the Cretaceous period.

The Vintage
The year 1997 began with a particularly cold and dry winter, followed by a sudden warming that triggered early budburst in spring. Despite a hailstorm in July with limited consequences, August and September proved very dry. These weather conditions led to a harvest brought forward by more than a week, yielding bunches in impeccable health, with an intense colour and remarkable sugar concentration.

Winemaking and Ageing
The making of Costasera 1997 relies on the traditional appassimento method. Harvested between late September and early October, the finest bunches are laid out on bamboo racks in dedicated drying rooms until 20 January. After losing nearly 40% of their weight, the concentrated grapes undergo gentle pressing and partial destemming. Fermentation takes place naturally at low temperature in large Slavonian oak barrels, followed by malolactic fermentation. The wine is then aged for 24 months, mostly in Slavonian oak barrels and, for one fifth, in small oak barrels from Allier and Slavonia, before resting for at least four months in bottle.

Grape Varieties
70% Corvina, 25% Rondinella, 5% Molinara