2009 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Mazzano

Fewer people are more knowledgeable about Amarone, or have done more for the denomination and Italian wine in general, than Masi’s owner, Sandro Boscaini. Every chance I get to sit down with him is an opportunity to learn and grow, and over the years much that I have learned about Amarone and the wines of Valpolicella is thanks to him, his family and staff. There are a number of Amarones made here that should be on every wine lover’s radar, and this year in particular, the lineup of Amarones I tasted seemed especially strong. The Costasera bottling is an easygoing introduction to Amarone, while the Costasera Riserva highlights the contribution of Oseleta to the blend; this year I found it to be deeper, richer and more complex than usual. The Vajo Armaron is a work of art, strongly marked by the presence of Molinara in its blend; it is important to know that Serego Alighieri has identified and named a special high quality biotype of Molinara that carries the estate’s name (Molinara Serego Alighieri). Last but not least, the two crus Mazzano and Campolongo di Torbe are two archetypes of what great Amarone is all about: the Mazzano Amarone is always the biggest of the two, a dry site that is practically never hit by noble rot, while Campolongo di Torbe, a place where noble rot does develop, is always fleshier, softer and more perfumed. That said the two 2009s I tasted this year pulled a fast one on me, with Campolongo di Torbe tasting more massive and less juicy and soft than usual, while Mazzano offered greater flesh and sweetness. You’ve got to love wine.