Country: Italy

Region: Veneto

Vintage: 2011

Cépage: Corvina (75%); Rondinella (20%); Molinara (5%)

Size: 750 ml

Rating(s): 96 (RP); 96 (JS)

"Of these two top-shelf wines from Masi, I like the 2011 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Mazzano even better than the Capolongo di Torbe in 2011. The Mazzano shows more focus and more sharpness, and it opens nicely. It is surely one of the great Amarones on the market today, and this warm vintage especially brings forth the darkness, thickness and concentration you're looking for in this tradition. This powerful and indestructible wine with 16% alcohol is a blend of 75% Corvina, 20% Rondinella and 5% Molinara. The wine is beautiful, opulent and deep, but it's hard to imagine a food pairing possibility that isn't wood-fired meat marinated in spicy mesquite sauce. Those exotic flavors are similar to what you find in this wine. It ages in 600-liter oak barrels for three years, with a combination of new and used wood. The Mazzano Vineyard is located in the village of Negrar and shows loose marl soils planted in terraces supported by dry stone walls. The grapes thrive at 350 to 415 meters above sea level."

Monica Larner (RP) - 09/19