Masi Costasera Amarone Classico 2013
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Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Deep ruby red with brilliant reflections. Intense and elegant aromas of cherry and plum jam with spicy hints of cinnamon and cloves. Firm structure but very soft on the palate with velvety tannins and a marked acidity that balances the alcohol level well. Full flavored with a fruity finish and soft spiciness.
Pairs well with grilled or roasted red meats and strong tasty cheeses, such as parmesan.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
The balance in this Amarone is so beautiful with chocolate, berry, walnut and cedar character. Medium to full body, polished and silky tannins and a flavorful finish. Always in balance. Wonderful to drink now.
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Tasting Panel
Dark, rich, and earthy; concentrated, complex, and well-balanced; a long and lush blend of three ancient varieties: Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara.
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Wine & Spirits
A cool spring in 2013 was followed by June rain and warm, sunny weather in late summer—a series of conditions that allowed the grapes to ripen well and retain ample acidity. That cool acidity propels this wine’s crunchy red fruit flavors, which pick up notes of moist tobacco, damp soil and subtle spice on the way to a long, lifted finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
Aromas of stewed prune, underbrush, violet and sandalwood form the nose. Reflecting the aromas, the dense palate features raisin, fig and licorice alongside velvety tannins. It’s already approachable but will also offer years of enjoyment. Drink through 2028.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2013 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Costasera employs the estate's same classic blend of 70% Corvina, 25% Rondinella and 5% Molinara, with appassimento lasting more than 100 days. This drying period results in a loss of 35% of the grapes' original weight, yielding highly concentrated sugars. It offers a more approachable and slightly fresher expression, but you still get all that Amarone intensity and power, fueled by dark fruit and spice. The Costasera is a little more elastic and versatile than its peers, especially when it comes to food pairing possibilities, accommodating anything from venison and heavy stews to a lighter pasta fagioli. This is a classic Amarone that delivers all the basic promises of wine made from air-dried fruit. Some 560,000 bottles were made.
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Wine Spectator
Light, taut tannins create a chewy frame for the flavors of wild cherry, cured tobacco, woodsy spice and mineral in this creamy, medium- to fullbodied red.
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Masi's production strategy aims to emphasize the personality of each single product, while maintaining a recognizable Venetian style. In 1958, Masi was in the forefront of the work to identify the historic "cru" vineyard sites for Amarone. In 1964, Campofiorin was the first in a new category of wines, reinventing the technique of double fermentation and continually updating it. Masi has also updated the style of Amarone, using new appassimento and vinification technologies.
Masi wines are modern, attractive, well-balanced and easily identifiable; characteristics which have earned Masi recognition for having "revolutionized the art of wine-making in the Venetian region." Hugh Johnson defines Masi as "a touchstone for Veronese wines."
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
Producing every style of wine and with great success, the Veneto is one of the most multi-faceted wine regions of Italy.
Veneto's appellation called Valpolicella (meaning “valley of cellars” in Italian) is a series of north to south valleys and is the source of the region’s best red wine with the same name. Valpolicella—the wine—is juicy, spicy, tart and packed full of red cherry flavors. Corvina makes up the backbone of the blend with Rondinella, Molinara, Croatina and others playing supporting roles. Amarone, a dry red, and Recioto, a sweet wine, follow the same blending patterns but are made from grapes left to dry for a few months before pressing. The drying process results in intense, full-bodied, heady and often, quite cerebral wines.
Soave, based on the indigenous Garganega grape, is the famous white here—made ultra popular in the 1970s at a time when quantity was more important than quality. Today one can find great values on whites from Soave, making it a perfect choice as an everyday sipper! But the more recent local, increased focus on low yields and high quality winemaking in the original Soave zone, now called Soave Classico, gives the real gems of the area. A fine Soave Classico will exhibit a round palate full of flavors such as ripe pear, yellow peach, melon or orange zest and have smoky and floral aromas and a sapid, fresh, mineral-driven finish.
Much of Italy’s Pinot grigio hails from the Veneto, where the crisp and refreshing style is easy to maintain; the ultra-popular sparkling wine, Prosecco, comes from here as well.