(2024) From iron-rich clay and limestone soils, this is 100% Tai Rosso from 18-year-old vineyards. The wine is matured for six months in 3rd use, 228 litre French oak barrels. Colour a little deeper than the Pegoraro, the aromas more subdued, showing a gently meaty plum and blackberry, but a little floral edge does show through. The palate appears to be much drier despite a touch (3.2g/l) of residual sugar, but the sandy tannins, background cedary oak and good acidity all combine to give a dry, savoury character. No UK retail stockists at time of review.
(2024) Seeing no oak, but matured six months in tank before bottling, this wine is fermented with natural yeasts. The wine has a bright and vibrant, light cherry colour. It is fragrant, with a bon-bon character, rose-hip and more cherry-like aromas. Sweet-fruited and nimble on the palate, there's some herbal nuancs and the gentle tannins and pert acidity make this enjoyable and easy to drink. No UK retail stockists at time of review.
(2020) Masi are masters of appassimento, most of this wine fermented as normal, but part of it re-fermented with 25% dried grapes. It spent 18 months in mostly large, Slavonian oak barrels. Made with 70% Corvina along with Rondinella and Molinara it has delicious aromatics, dried cherry and red liquorice. Smooth but concentrated on the palate, a touch of umami meatiness, but finishes on sweet black fruit and that stripe of digestible acidity. Down to £9.74 until 2nd June 2020. Watch the video for more information and food-matching ideas.
(2019) The blend is 70% Corvina, with 25% Rondinella and Molinara, with no appassimento of the grapes. A light balsamic richness, deep cherry and a touch of creaminess from 20% oak ageing. Plenty of sweetness but smooth tannins too, fresh acidity, and a light but elegant finish.
(2018) A really lovely Merlot from Colli Euganei, an appellation of the Veneto, From organic-certified vineyards planted on limestone and sited at 290 metres above sea level, it spends 24 months in French oak barrels and a further six months in bottle before release. Despite the plushness of ripe fruit and creamy oak, the bit of altitude and the soils also give a mineral, graphite and iron steeliness and freshness, the plum and blackcurrant fruit and some tobacco spices on the nose moving through to a full and rich palate, the velvety weight of fruit tensioned by firm tannins and a juicy rasp of acidity just giving a nice roughening grip to the wine into the finish.
(2017) A fragrant, light ruby-coloured and light-bodied red with a distinctly truffle and briar nose, this is one for the Pinot lover, its crisp and crunchy framework of acidity and neat tannins wrapping round bright cherry fruit, a bit of sour plum bite that's typically Italian, in a most refreshing style.
(2016) A classic blend of the three main Valpolicalla grapes, Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella, this dark and youthful wine has cherry and blackcurrant aromas, a touch of sweet tobacco-spiced plum too. On the palate this is quite a grippy, vinous wine, the dark vine fruits set against nicely grainy tannins, and the bright acidity that typifies Northern Italian reds present and correct. There's a warmth on the finish too, in a most enjoyable and classy Valpolicella.
(2013) A typical blend of Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella, this is immediately racy and sheer, with blue/black and kirsch-like fruit, a touch of chocolate and spice, but also a floral-edged lift. Very appealing. On the palate a flood of chocolate-coated, ripe black berry fruit, such presence with only medium body, but tight, focused and riven with energy.
(2012) The vineyards for this cranberry-coloured blend of Corvina, Rondinello, Molinara and Sangiovese enjoy the mild climate around the shores of Lake Garda. The nose offers delicate smells of the summer: rosehip and cranberry, redcurrant and raspberry. There's a tiny note of herbs and straw too, and onto the palate the wine has a very dry, very elegant and food-friendly style, the small red berried fruits still keen, with their acidity and dry flavours, and the finish very fresh, just giving a hint of lemon.
