Costasera
⏳ Drinking Window
2018 - 2035
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Slow-braised beef cheeks, roasted wild game, and mature cheeses such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino.
✨ Technical Specifications
Masi's Costasera is a benchmark expression of Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, a wine steeped in the ancient Roman tradition of 'appassimento'—the art of drying grapes on bamboo racks during the winter months to concentrate sugars, aromas, and tannins. The name 'Costasera' pays homage to the slopes ('coste') facing the sunset ('sera') in the Valpolicella Classica zone. These west-facing vineyards benefit from the gentle, reflected warmth of Lake Garda, which helps mitigate winter frosts and coaxes the traditional Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara grapes to perfect maturity. Masi, led by the Boscaini family for generations, has perfected this technique, producing a majestic, full-bodied red that marries rich plum and cherry compote notes with complex cocoa, cinnamon, and tobacco undertones, all framed by robust structure and velvety tannins.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1772 when the Boscaini family harvested their first vineyard plots in the Vaio dei Masi valley, Masi Agricola stands as a foundational pillar of modern Venetian viticulture. Anchored in the heart of Valpolicella Classica, the estate spans diverse microclimates and sedimentary limestone, marl, and volcanic soils across the Trevenezie, tempered by Lake Garda and alpine foothills. Masi revolutionized regional winemaking through the modern mastery of the ancient appassimento method—drying harvested bunches on traditional arelle bamboo racks—and pioneering the ripasso revival with their landmark 1964 Campofiorin. Governed by the Masi Technical Group and long stewarded by Sandro Boscaini, affectionately hailed as 'Mr. Amarone', the estate blends sustainability with exacting enology. Their benchmark expressions range from majestic, cru-designated Amarone della Valpolicella such as Costasera, Campolongo di Torbe, and Mazzano, to crisp Trevenezie whites like Masianco and vibrant sparkling wines, epitomizing classical Venetian refinement and textural depth.
🍇 Grapes
Corvina (45-95%), Corvinone, Rondinella