Masi Costasera Amarone della Valpolicella 2017

Masi Costasera Amarone della Valpolicella 2017 is a full-bodied red wine from Valpolicella Classico DOCG at 15% ABV in a 750ml bottle. This 2017 vintage earned 94 points from James Suckling, reflecting Masi's flagship Amarone expression at its richest — a wine built on traditional appassimento and a Corvina-dominant blend that delivers concentration without losing balance.

Quick Facts: ABV: 15%  |  Origin: Valpolicella Classico DOCG, Veneto, Italy  |  Vintage: 2017  |  Producer: Masi Agricola

Production & Heritage

Masi Agricola has been producing wine in the Valpolicella region since the late 18th century, with the Boscaini family stewarding the estate for six generations. Costasera — named after the hillside vineyard sites facing east — is Masi's benchmark Amarone, blending Corvina (70%), Rondinella (25%), and Molinara (5%). The harvested grapes are spread across shallow bamboo trays in traditional drying lofts, where they undergo appassimento for up to 120 days, slowly concentrating sugars, acids, and flavor compounds. Masi employs a proprietary computer-assisted monitoring system they call "NASA" (Natural Appassimento, Super Assisted), which replicates optimal natural drying conditions to ensure consistency across vintages without mechanical intervention in the fruit itself.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with red-cherry preserve and ripe plum before layering into warmer notes of clove, cinnamon, and anise. A subtle smokiness and baked-apple character emerge as the wine breathes.

Taste: The entry is fruit-forward, led by dark and red cherries with a tapenade-like savoriness. At mid-palate, dark chocolate, dried leaves, and a touch of chili-chocolate spice build toward a full but velvety-soft peak. Balancing acidity keeps the considerable weight in check, preventing the richness from tipping into heaviness.

Finish: Long and warming, with lingering fondente chocolate, forest-floor earthiness, and a thread of ripe blackberry. The tannins resolve smoothly, leaving a gentle spice note that persists well after the last sip.

How to Drink Costasera Amarone

Costasera Amarone is best served at 18°C (64°F), ideally decanted 30 to 60 minutes before pouring to let the concentrated aromatics fully open. This is fundamentally a wine for unhurried, attentive drinking — neat, in a large-bowled glass that allows the complex bouquet to develop. It also holds its own when paired thoughtfully: serve alongside Ossobuco alla Milanese, where the wine's dark fruit and acidity cut through the braised richness; with aged Parmigiano Reggiano, amplifying the wine's savory, umami-driven depth; or with dark chocolate torte, mirroring the fondente and cherry notes already present in the glass.

Best For

• Gifting an Italian wine enthusiast who appreciates traditional winemaking
• Anchoring a special-occasion dinner with braised or slow-roasted dishes
• Adding a benchmark Amarone vintage to a cellar collection
• Marking a milestone year — the 2017 vintage pairs well with anniversaries and celebrations

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Costasera Amarone taste like? It delivers concentrated dark and red cherry fruit with dark chocolate, dried-leaf earthiness, and warming spice, all held together by a velvety texture and balancing acidity that prevents the 15% ABV from overwhelming the palate.

How does Costasera Amarone compare to Allegrini Amarone della Valpolicella? Both are flagship Amarone wines from established Valpolicella producers using traditional appassimento, but Masi's Costasera includes Molinara in its blend alongside Corvina and Rondinella, lending a slightly brighter acidity. Allegrini's Amarone tends toward a more modern, concentrated style, while Costasera leans into the classic savory-spice character associated with the Classico zone.

Is Costasera Amarone good for sipping on its own? Absolutely — this is a contemplative wine designed for slow, unaccompanied drinking, though decanting for at least 30 minutes significantly improves the aromatic complexity and softens the tannins.

Where is Costasera Amarone made? Costasera Amarone is produced by Masi Agricola in the Valpolicella Classico zone within the Veneto region of northeastern Italy, sourced from hillside vineyard sites in the traditional heart of the appellation.

What foods pair well with Costasera Amarone? Braised short ribs or ossobuco complement the wine's weight and dark fruit; aged hard cheeses like Parmigiano Reggiano or Piave echo its savory depth; venison or wild boar ragù matches the earthy, forest-floor character; and dark chocolate desserts mirror its fondente and cherry finish.

What sizes does Costasera Amarone come in? The standard release is a 750ml bottle, though Masi also produces Costasera Amarone in 375ml half-bottles and 1.5L magnums for select vintages.

Is Costasera Amarone worth the price? Costasera positions as a mid-range Amarone — more serious and concentrated than entry-level Valpolicella Ripasso, yet accessible compared to single-vineyard or riserva bottlings from the same DOCG, making it a strong value within the Amarone category and a reliable introduction to the style.

Why Costasera Amarone?

Costasera has been Masi's flagship Amarone since the early days of the modern appellation, and the 2017 vintage represents one of the strongest recent expressions — confirmed by its 94-point James Suckling score. The 120-day appassimento on bamboo trays, monitored by Masi's proprietary NASA system, produces a level of fruit concentration and aromatic complexity that many producers in the zone struggle to achieve consistently. Where lesser Amarone wines can lean on residual sugar or over-extraction to compensate for thin vintages, Costasera's Corvina-dominant blend retains its structural acidity and savory character year after year. For anyone building an understanding of what Amarone della Valpolicella Classico should taste like, this wine remains one of the category's most reliable reference points.