Espresso and cereal in the morning, and then we’re off! We began at Serego Alighieri, where we had stayed the night, and started in the old farmhouse compound where the bamboo drying racks are located. The room is up a stone staircase on the second floor, long and narrow with rows of racks lining the wall. This room was also used to make silk, but is now solely used in the appasimento process where the grapes are spread out on the racks and dried for 100 days. The grapes then lose 30-35% of their weight due to water loss, concentrating the sugars. There is a small window cut in the stone wall which overlooks the vineyards. The family vineyards are surrounded by stone walls as all vineyards used to be, and such enclosed vineyards are known as brolos, from a French word meaning closed. The brolo which we overlook now was the original vineyard of Masi’s extraordinary Valpilicella red - Campofiorin.

Campofiorin is a Veronese red blend which is refermented with some of the semi-dried grapes. Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara are among the region’s native varietals which go into this rich and velvety wine bursting with subtle complexities. The lengthy process by which this wine is made shows in the wonderful round body and distinct characteristics of the area, and I am reminded of an article by Matt Kramer in Wine Spectator which discussed how essential it is to put wine into context. He explained that someone may enjoy a wine, but in order to fully know a wine, one must not only travel to a wine’s geographic source, but also it’s originating culture.  I see immediately how generations worked to develop these unique wine-making techniques, and how they continue to experiment in order to find new, and perhaps better ways to bring their culture to the glass.

As we continue along through the gardens to the Serego Alighieri winery the four of us become acquainted with the family history. Dante Alighieri had been exiled from Florence and came to Valpolicella in the 14th century.  When he became favorable again, Dante returned to his beloved Florence, but his son stayed on here. Subsequent generations came and went, until it seemed there would be an end to the Alighieri line, so, in order to preserve the history of the family name, the noble family of Alighieri arranged a mairraige with the noble family of Serego and two houses became one. Serego Alighieri has been making wine for hundreds of years, and only recently has it become comercially available due to its collaboration with Masi, started in 1973. Serego Alighieri uses Fusto Veronese, traditional barrels that are made of cherry wood. Cherry wood is porous so the wine is only put in after oak for 3-4 months. The Serego Alighieri family is the only family to use these barrels and it adds an unmistakable note to the wines that are selected for these casks.

Masi has been in the vinification game for a long stretch as well, and although they didn’t team up with Serego Alighieri until the early 1970’s, Masi planted its first vineyard in the Valpolicella Classico region in 1772. Masi now has vineyards in Friuli, Montelcino, Veneto, and Trentino, known as the Venitian territory. They are also making wine in Argentina, planting Corvina and Friuli in the New World and pursuing a wine with “Argentinian heart and Venitian soul” called Passo Doble. Masi might be called the masters of the appasimento process, and it is a real delight to see how these cavernous reds that go on for days begin their journey. The grapes are hand picked and scrutinized before making their way to the drying room using racks based on those of the ancient Romans. Vertical and horizontal ventilation on the bamboo drying racks is closely checked several times each day. The grapes are dried for 3-4 months. Botritis, or noble rot, affects the Corvina grape which will give the wine an additional velvety layer.   Masi has an oath; Tradition and Innovation. In addition to the traditional methods of drying the grapes, Masi has installed an Apassimento Regulator. This regulator checks the outside conditions against ideal conditions (set after key ideal years such as 1988, 1990, 1995, and one average year, 1991).  If the outside conditions are undesirable and threaten the appasimento process, the regulator will reproduce the ideal condition in the drying room. Now that’s progress!

There are several wines that use this process of using semi-dried grapes in the refermentation.   Masi’s Campofiorin made the first Ripasso –a word meaning repassed, or double fermentation- in 1964. The wine refermented with the semi-dried grapes gains added sweetness, complexity, and a bouquet of aromas. Their Argentinean property is producing a primo wine called Passo Doble which uses the double fermentation process with Corvina and Malbec. And we cannot forget about the king of wine using semi-dried grapes, the blissful Amarone. To give you an idea of the work it takes to make this delectable wine, about 4 ½ pounds of fresh grapes are necessary to make 1 bottle of Amarone!

The Masi Research Team spends much of their time in the underground experimental chamber. This room is replete with oddities such as rectangular oak barrels and curiously shaped tanks.  Exploratory wine blends peek out their numbered necks from the vertical racks surrounding the stainless steel tabletop. The rectangular barrels, we are told, work well for stacking but not for aging wine. The wood is cut by a different process which does not lend itself to the benefit of the wine, but the square casks are kept to remind the team that innovation knows a thousand failures before success is born.

We go deeper still into the dark cellars of the Masi estate, entering a chamber with casks of different sizes, the only light entering through stained glass windows filtered down from the floor above. The air is considerably cooler here, kept at 16 degrees Celsius with 60% humidity. The various wines are aged in French, Russian, Hungarian and American oak. Amarone is placed in the larger barrels because it is so fruity and round already there is little need for the oak influences of spice and vanilla imparted on the wine. Masi produces five Amarone, three of which are crus. Two of the cru vineyards (Costasera and Campolongo di Torbe) sit 400 meters above sea level, and while they are very near in proximity, they differ greatly due to their soil, whereas one is chalky, the other is clay. Masi has classification of vintages starting from 1964, and the Masi Technical Team that classifies the wines give out the highest rating of 5 stars very judiciously. Only 7 in 20 years have had a 5 star rating, and to further bolster the shrewdness over quality, Masi won’t even produce Amarone in a bad year (2002).

The tour ends in a small room tattooed with photographs of celebrities and winemakers visiting Masi, old presses, antique bottle openers, and the coveted private cellar of the Boscaini family, who are at the helm of this gorgeous winery.  Through the locked gate one can see a plethora of wine, some of them with wax seals reminiscent of the late 19th century. Our group is escorted into a tasting room with a row of Riedel glassware standing in wait at each of four desks. We find our seats with Masi’s Annachiara Zanoni taking us through their portfolio.

·     Masianco

Pinot Grigio & Verduzzo   Delle Venezie IGT  2009 13% alc/vol

Deep yellow, excellent body and structure with fruit (specifically peach and pear) and exemplary acidity. This white wine is both refreshing and clean, lending itself as an apertif or to be paired with white fish and fowl. This is the flagship white wine of Masi from the Friuli region that uses the appassimento process.

·     Campofiorin

Corvina, Rondinella & Molinara  Rosso Del Veronese IGT  2007 13% alc/vol

Using the classic indigenous grapes of Valpolicella, this versatile wine will pair with simple foods like pasta and grilled meats, with an aging potential of 15 years. This is one of the 5 star wines, characterized by cherry aromas, a small amount of spice, chocolate notes, and rich, dark fruit.

·    Passo Doble

Malbec & Corvina   Rosso Di Argentina  2008 13.5% alc/vol

1000 meters up in Tupungato at the foot of the Andes, Passo Doble is born. It is a blend of Malbec (70%) and semi-dried Corvina (30%). The Malbec is refermented with Corvina before spending nine months in oak. The resulting wine offers blackberries and currant, mocha with a subtle after spice and a touch of vanilla. The rich and long lasting finish dances on the tongue. Barbecue madness! Passo Doble got its name from the dance, the double step tango, and also from the refermentation, or double step.  

·     Costasera

Amarone    Della Valpolicella Classico DOC  2006 15% alc/vol

2006 was one of Costasera’s 5 star vintages and let me tell you, WOW! A minimum of 24 months in oak in 600 liter casks, then down to barrels of 30, 60, or 90 hl. The western exposure on this cru vineyard has the benefit of longer days, which means more light. Cinnamon, raisins, chalky chocolate and cherry swathe the senses. They call this one the gentle giant with a velvety touch and this titan can lay down for up to 40 years. The ruby color will appear tawny as time goes by but the wine will continue to evolve in the bottle.

·     Vaio Armaron

Amarone   Della Valpolicella Classico DOC  2003 15% alc/vol

The Vaio is another of the cru vineyards, cellared at Serego Alighieri where it spends 36 months in oak, the last three of which are in cherry casks. A port-like nose and slight touches of licorice with semi sweet cherry mingling together draws you into this signature wine. It is tannic with rich spice notes and slightly more fresh fruit than the Costasera. Very complex, very excellent, imparting a different flavor, from the porous nature of the cherry wood.

·     Campolongo Di Torbe

Amarone    Della Valpolicella Classico DOC  2001 16% alc/vol

The Campolongo is the third of the 3 cru vineyards of Masi and Serego Alighieri. The vineyard stretches out 400 meters above sea level, and offers more raisins, darker, dried fruit with a more distinct tawniness in appearance. These are all the characteristics of an aged Amarone, and on this 2001, the alcohol is more apparent on the palate. This Amarone lies in wait for 36 months before emerging a tannic monster that gets the heart racing. All senses meld together; clay, soil, so incredibly silky…a truly harmonious wine from Masi.

And I think to myself, How the beauty of life is amplified after drinking good wine!

We dined in one of the restaurants that faced my room; a classic outside patio dimly lit by glowing candelabras on each of the tables. Across the river the white marble columns of the Ufizi stand out against the fading sky and our table toasts to Florence and a great trip thus far. The ritual of bread and olive oil with a sprinkle of salt leads the charge into our next meal. We order two salads and split them between us; one was a pear and pecorino masterpiece served over lettuce and riddichio and the other involved spinach, crumbled bleu cheese and crushed walnuts. The specialty of this restaurant was burgers, but I’m not talking about just any old hamburger.  Irish Black Angus in six cuts of bull make up the entire entrée menu, and a description of the history of the bull and the cut of meat is given under each selection. All of the beef is organic, and the lack of conversation at the other tables (due to full mouths) tells us that we are in for a treat. Gin and tonics, Peroni beer and a bottle of rosé settle us in and the final few minutes of the FIFA game seem to take over the staff for a spell, but when the food arrives it is evident that the wait was well worth it.  The burgers are enormous and there is little room, or need, for the French fries. Although the name of the restaurant escapes me, I could find it blindfolded from anywhere in Florence by the smell of those ambrosial burgers.
 

Stay Tuned until Next Week for Part 3 of 4