Masi Agricola Masi Costasera Amarone Classico 2020 750ml

A whirlwind of cherry pie filling aromas, red plum, and a sprinkle of clove, anise, and cinnamon combine into a spice rack and a fruit basket in the glass. But wait, there's more, this wine hits your taste buds, it's an elegant explosion of dried leaf pile jumping, dark chocolate indulgence, and a blackberry festa. The tannins? They're so well-behaved, you'd think they were at a fancy dinner party. An Amarone that'll make you want to do a little happy dance. Drink Now - 2040

The 2020 Amarone Classico Costasera takes its time blossoming in the glass. It is dusty and hauntingly dark, with a whiff of dried flowers and crushed rocks that slowly evolve into wild blueberries, shavings of dark chocolate and nuances of mint. Elegant and refined, it has silken textures and a contrasting mix of sour cherries offset by sweet spice and a twang of blood orange. A coating of fine tannins frames the finish as the 2020 leaves savory herbal tones and hints of clove that linger on and on. This is a fantastic vintage for the Costasera, which I expect may get even better with time.

The Masi 2020 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Costasera (made with 70% Corvina, 25% Rondinella and 5% Molinara) shows dark fruit ripeness with meaty cherry and blackberry. Thanks to the younger vintage, you can appreciate the wine's primary intensity. A potent 15% alcohol content and a full-bodied texture sets this bottle up for a pairing with polenta and sausage. Tart cherry appears as a final send-off. Production of this popular wine is huge, with 660,000 bottles made.

A round and balanced Amarone that offers crowd-pleasing accessibility, with a velvety texture and light, chewy tannins, plus a medium body. Lively acidity animates flavors of baked cherry and plum, orange peel, black tea and dark chocolate. Corvina, Molinara and Rondinella. Drink now through 2031. 70,000 cases made, 13,000 cases imported.