Masi, 30 Years of Amarone at Vinitaly

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1 Masi, 30 Years of Amarone at Vinitaly THE RESULTS OF THIRTY YEARS OF RESEARCH BY THE MASI TECHNICAL GROUP CELEBRATED IN A GRAND TASTING discussion and tasting led by: Ian D Agata Scientific director for Vinitaly International Academy speakers: Sandro Boscaini President of Masi Agricola Raffaele Boscaini Masi Technical Group, General Co-ordinator Andrea Dal Cin Masi Technical Group, Chief Winemaker Lanfranco Paronetto Masi Technical Group, Technical Co-ordinator 52 VINITALY VERONA, MONDAY 16 APRIL 2018

3 The Thirtieth Technical Seminar at Vinitaly provides the chance to assess the contribution the Masi Technical Group has made to winemaking and viticulture in the Venetian Regions during the thirty years of its research and presentations. The result is a great horizontal-and-vertical tasting to define the characteristics of Amarone in the light of the techno-scientific evolution that over the last three decades has transformed Valpolicella s great red wine into one of the symbols of Italy on the export market. Every year, winemakers and lovers of the culture of wine assemble at Vinitaly to compare notes after the Seminar organised by the Masi Technical Group. The event has become an unmissable moment of reflection on themes to do with technique, research and experimentation in the world of wine. This particular Seminar will go over some of the most important ground covered in collaboration with national and international institutions and universities that has made a modern style for Amarone by emphasising the elements that go into its typicity: the use of native grapes, the technique of Appassimento, yeasts and fermentation, maturation and finally the new frontier of genetics with the deciphering of the genome sequence for the Corvina grape. 3

4 Amarone The history, unique characteristics and technical evolution of Amarone wine are strictly linked with Masi s history itself. Once produced by just a handful of traditional families in the Valpolicella Classica area, Amarone is a modern wine with an ancient heart that has made a major name for itself on international markets, attracting huge critical acclaim and delighting oenophiles worldwide with its amiable originality. kate singleton, mister amarone, mondadori, Amarone, an Historical Wine Archaeological evidence exists which shows that Amarone and its related sweet wine, Recioto, have been produced in the Valpolicella zone since Roman times (2000 years ago). The names of the wines refer to both the type of wine and its production techniques. The original name of these wines was Reticum. Over the centuries this name was changed to Acinaticum, and, more recently, to Recioto. This latter name may be a corruption of the original Reticum, or it may have other roots: Recisus, Racimus or Recia. When the wine is totally fermented and dry, it is given the name Amarone. The production process and principal characteristics of the wine were first defined by the DOC regulation system in 1968, updated in 1991 and again later in 2010 with the introduction of the DOCG appellation. PRODUCTION AREA Amarone, a Unique Wine Historically produced in the Valpolicella Classica zone, a hillside amphitheatre north-west of Verona. INDIGENOUS GRAPE VARIETIES Corvina and Corvinone, Rondinella and Molinara grapes are used in proportions defined by centuries of experience and codified by DOCG regulations. It is essential to note that each of these grape varieties offers precise and irreplaceable characteristics. Corvina and Corvinone have a major role in the classic blend. Botrytis (noble rot) produces high levels of glycerine and gluconic acid, thus creating softness and smoothness in the wine. This also limits the amount of colour and tannins. Rondinella is very resistant to Botrytis during the drying period. Consequently, the grape helps in bringing colour and tannins to the final product, as well as providing its own aromatic contribution to the bouquet. Molinara gives Amarone its spiciness and its acidity, thus providing an unusual freshness for a wine with such a big structure. 4

5 PRODUCTION TECHNIQUE viticulture Specific vineyards: located only in high hillside slopes, preferably south-west or west facing exposures towards Lake Garda; Varieties of grapes and percentages within the limits of the regulations; Grapes selected for suitability to the appassimento process. Depending on the quality of the grapes at harvest time and the viticultural area, this means from 30% 60% of the harvest. appassimento/drying process a) Selection of the best conditions for appassimento: A drier environment maintains healthier conditions for the grapes but discourages Botrytis; Possibility to have an artificially controlled (totally or partially) environment; N.A.S.A. (Natural Appassimento Super Assisted) the modern technology used by Masi in full respect for the natural nature of the process and the time taken for appassimento. b) Drying system: Bamboo racks or small wooden boxes or hanging grapes (different procedures and different costs). c) Duration of appassimento: The minimum period is determined by the Consorzio Tutela Valpolicella from year to year; Masi standard: mid-january as a minimum or longer, in any case when grapes have lost between 35-40% weight. d) Effect of the drying process: High concentration of sugars, aromas, colours and tannins; Botrytis (noble rot) infection, giving glycerine and smoothness; Evolution of aromatic profile, from primary to more complex aromas. vinification Soft pressing and partial or total de-stemming (note that the stems are totally dry); long fermentation (from 40 to 50 days) during the winter season (Jan/Feb); Natural cold maceration (two weeks) followed by a slow alcoholic fermentation. barrel ageing Maturation in large oak barrels and 600-litre fusto Veronese. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN VINTAGES Climatic conditions during the drying period are as important to the quality of the wine as are the conditions during the growing season. A great vintage happens only when both periods are favourable. Climate conditions during drying time influence: Concentration Degree of Botrytis Consequently, they affect not only the quality but also the style of Amarone produced. 5

6 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE WINE Amarone, which is extremely concentrated, high in alcohol, deeply coloured and complex, achieves a precise balance between all of its components. Velvety, but never excessively tannic or acidic. Which makes it attractive when relatively young, although it improves with ageing, and can continue to improve for many years. Amarone s nobility, balance and power make it a truly majestic wine. MATURATION CURVE Although enjoyable to drink three to five years after harvest, Amarone evolves over two different phases. In the first phase, ending with the 11 th /13 th year after the harvest, it is judged according to structure, youthful exuberance, powerful aromas and flavours of raisined fruit. After this phase, complex oxidation processes on excess glycerine and sugars mean the wine changes character completely, becoming more refined and extremely elegant. On the nose there are rich, spicy almost oriental perfumes; while on the palate the wine maintains an elegant power with smooth tannins that make it very silky. The aromas are long and intense, providing a fabulous aftertaste and a hint of liquorice at the end. This phase lasts a long time. The maturation curve of Amarone has been described by Jancis Robinson in her Vintage Timecharts. Masi s Mazzano Amarone was used as a model in the book because...mazzano is perhaps the truest and certainly the highest vineyard for Valpolicella s oddity called Amarone.... Technical Evolution of Masi AMarone The Amarone which we drink today is not like the Amarone our ancestors drank. It is a modern-style wine which has dispensed with the baroque excesses of the past. Today, rather than aiming for a super-structured Amarone (through very long drying, which inevitably contributes to the wine s oxidation and loss of fruitiness), Masi technicians attempt to achieve a perfect balance, in the sense that they reduce oxidation to the minimum while extracting the maximum concentration from the drying process, without, however, affecting the wine s complexity and its unmistakable taste of raisined fruit. Masi was the first producer to modify Amarone in this way, soon to be followed by other leading winemakers. Other producers have followed a different path, making an Amarone with less structure and the minimum alcohol level allowed by law (14% alc.). In this case the Amarone is still an extremely elegant wine, but it completely loses its essential point of difference: the majestic qualities that confer balance, power and nobility. 6

7 THE 1960s viticulture Grapes harvested for quantity, not quality, with little regard for varietal identification. appassimento Long periods of appassimento; With the occurrence of Botrytis left completely to chance and to natural conditions. vinification Rustic technology, with no idea of any need to improve; Long haphazard fermentations with stalks always left on, followed by long secondary fermentations, chance grape blends (field blends straight from the vineyard); High levels of pressure during crushing, with consequent creation of harsh tannins. barrel ageing Such haphazard fermentations needed long wood ageing period (from 5 to 8 years, or more). THE 1970s viticulture Selection of vineyard sites in mid-to-high hill locations as a part of the project to identify cru sites; Reduction of yields; Clonal selection; Grapes picked slightly under-ripe so as not to lose acidity (grapes from hill sites ripen later in any case when cold weather impedes maturation). appassimento High hill vineyard locations preferred; Selection of grapes affected by Botrytis (noble rot); Elimination of grapes affected by Botrytis cinerea (grey rot); Grapes screened for soundness; Rationalized appassimento process length. vinification Introduction of de-stalking means wines are less acidic and more balanced; Reduction of time spent on cold maceration; Quicker fermentations (at the first racking the wine has less glycerine, sugar and colour: designer Amarone). barrel ageing Use of larger barrels (60/80 hl) for a more rapid final fermentation; Greater care with oxidative processes. 7

8 THE 1980s viticulture Predominant use of the Corvina and Corvinone grapes; reduction in use of Molinara to the minimum. appassimento Natural appassimento is ventilation assisted, particularly in the phase immediately after harvest, when grapes are kept for hours at controlled humidity conditions, before the usual drying period, to ensure rapid stalk drying. vinification Return to fermentation with most of the stalks still attached; Enhanced macerations increasing the number of pumpings-over; Fermentations using enzymes or selected yeasts, if necessary; Reduced time for the second fermentation after racking: 3-4 weeks rather than the months used in the past, thanks to regulation of ambient temperatures and eventual yeast inoculation. barrel ageing Different maturation processes for different style wines. Use of small barrels for particular wines; Costasera Amarone Classico is mostly matured in large barrels with only 20% being aged in smaller 600-litre Slavonian or Allier oak barrels. THE1990s viticulture Constant modernisation and rationalisation in viticultural technique; Increased percentage of Corvina/Corvinone in the blend, mostly as a substitute for Molinara, but also to a lesser degree for Rondinella. appassimento Application of the N.A.S.A. (Natural Appassimento Super Assisted) system which regulates the following parameters: temperature, relative humidity, ventilation, and the weight loss of grapes. vinification Previously introduced processes are perfected, particularly with the introduction of selected bacteria in the malolactic fermentation. barrel ageing The traditional Veronese cask (600 litres) is used more and more for the maturation process; The use of new wood allows wine to be released on to the market more quickly, thereby enhancing its fruitiness. 8

9 THE 2000s viticulture Particular attention given to the study of the most recent climatic changes; Utilization of weather stations in the vineyard, monitoring and tracking following parameters: temperature, ground and air humidity, rainfall, leaf humidity, ventilation and solar radiation; Greater care in the choice of clones and rootstocks most suitable for each different pedo-climatic environment; Genetic research on the varieties most adapted to the drying process and comprehension of the metabolism of Corvina and Corvinone. appassimento Greater understanding of infection from rot and evaluation of the benefits of Botrytis cinerea (noble rot); Control of the length of the drying period, according to the metabolic process of Corvina and its genetic activity during the second phase of appassimento. vinification Control of maceration and fermentation achieved through adroit use of selected yeasts and bacteria; Higher attention to enhancing peculiar characteristics of every single vineyard. barrel ageing More systematic rotation of woods in the classic fusto Veronese, avoiding high-toast barrels; The natural micro-oxygenation involved in using wooden barrels has been reduced by using larger barrels (25 90 hl) in the first phase of maturation (including the malolactic) and eventual re-use of them at the end of maturation for the final sedimentation phase. TODAY The last updates viticulture Reintroduction of the pergola training system in hillside vineyards; Canopy control in order to monitor photosynthesis and exposure to sun for grape bunches; Experimental over-maturation on the vine with twisting of the stalk. appassimento Use of wooden crates with bamboo floors gives increased aeration and helps the harvest process. vinification Maceration and fermentation are conducted using selected Masi yeasts (called MASY3). barrel ageing Humidity control systems in the ageing cellars to check oxidation. 9

10 Evolution of Masi Amarone in Time how the amarone and the production techniques have changed thanks to the innovations introduced by the masi technical group 1960s 1970s 1980s STYLE Rustic Amarones with marked flavours of oxidisation Robust Amarones with high alcohol contents Birth of modern Amarone: more fruity and more concentrated VITICULTURE Selection; field blends Lower yields; vineyards and clones selected; early harvests More Corvina and Corvinone in blend, less Molinara APPASSIMENTO Long process, chance Botrytis Appassimento carried out in hill stations, grape condition: control of rot Post-harvest ventilation in appassimento process (36-48 hours to eliminate humidity on stalks) VINIFICATON Stalks kept in vinification, long and difficult spontaneous fermentations Shorter, controlled fermentations First biotechnologies with selected enzymes and yeasts, on-stalk maceration MATURATION Long periods in large barrels Large barrels for final maturation; greater care with oxidation Arrival of small casks 10

11 1990s 2000s Today Fruity style, dry, better with food Enhancement of tipicity and perceived quality Refined and elegant, good balance between structure and alcohol, tannins and smoothness Better years for viticulture (global warming), increase of Corvina and Corvinone Research into climate change, installation of weather stations in vineyards Pergolas installed on hillside vineyards, canopy management, experiments in over-ripening on the vine Introduction of NASA system (natural appassimento super assisted) Greater understanding of positive effects of noble rot; management of metabolic dynamics for Corvina Introduction of grape boxes with bamboo floors Malolactic fermentation with selected bacters Management of use of yeasts and bacters, enhancement of characteristics of single vineyards Use of company yeast MASY03 to enhance aromatic qualities Introduction of 600-litre fusto veronese; use of more new wood Systematic rotation of woods without use of high-toast; large barrels used in early stages to limit oxidation Management of cellar humidity to control oxidation 11

12 The Vintage Classification The Masi Technical Group has always given a rating to Amarone vintages after careful analysis of the organoleptic qualities of the wine produced, taking into consideration the growing phase and ripening phase fro the grapes, the delicate period of appassimento (grape drying) and the dynamics of fermentation and maturation. Ideal years in which all these variables are at their best are few: in 70 vintages just 9! Ratings are often shared with authoritative trade publications. masi technical gambero enotria group rosso masi technical gambero enotria group rosso q q qq q q qq q q q qq q qq q q qq q nc/nb qq q q q eeee eee nc/nb qq qq q qq qq qq qq q q qq / q qq q q q nc/nb q q q qq qq / q q / q q qq q / q qq q e eeee ee eeeee1 ee eeeee eeeee eee eeeee1 eee ee eeee eeee eeeee Historic Year eeeee½ sources: Masi Technical Group (1 q = nc; 2 qq = average; 3 = good; 4 q = very good; 5 qq = outstanding) / Gambero Rosso Vini d Italia (from to ) / Bruno Donati for Enotria / UIV (1e = nc; 2 ee = average; 3 eee = good; 4 eeee = very good; 5 eeeee = outstanding) 12

13 Wines on Tasting 1988 VINTAGE qq The 1988 vintage started with a particularly unfavourable climatic cycle during flowering and grape setting. Spring was very warm and very early with frequent rainfall, which created the conditions for numerous and substantial attacks of mildew. Copious rainfall in the months of May and June caused slowdowns in the vegetative cycle. A very hot and dry summer accelerated the overall process of accumulation of sugar and ripening. Meteorological conditions during the harvest and appassimento were ideal (good balance of Botrytis on the Corvina). The vintage ended with very good quality for the wines of Verona and particularly for Amarone and Recioto, which were exceptional. vaio armaron Alcohol % vol Sugars g/l 4 Dry extract g/l 30 Total acidity g/l 5.85 mazzano Alcohol % vol Sugars g/l 2.50 Dry extract g/l Total acidity g/l 5.50 notes notes 1995 VINTAGE qq The summer of 1995 was the coldest in Verona for over a century (5 C / 41 F) in August). The vegetative cycle was delayed and low temperatures retarded the formation of mould. During grape ripening there was a period of about 40 days of unstable weather, with alternating rain showers and sunny spells. Finally, just before the harvest, the weather pattern took a turn for the better, and there were two days of welcome wind which removed the humidity from the vineyards and the water from the skins of the grapes. This allowed the grapes to ripen well, thanks also to our decision to delay the harvest, as well as the limited size of the crop. During appassimento the grapes enjoyed ideal climatic conditions. The winds prevented the formation of mould and also accelerated the drying phase. The grapes were, however, affected by Botrytis cinerea (noble rot). It was an exceptional year for wines made from dried grapes, with aboveaverage alcohol levels, intense typical aromas, high concentration and unusual complexity. vaio armaron Alcohol % vol Sugars g/l 1.9 Dry extract g/l Total acidity g/l 6.00 mazzano Alcohol % vol Sugars g/l 4.50 Dry extract g/l 34 Total acidity g/l 5.90 notes notes 13

14 1997 VINTAGE qq The winter was particularly dry, with a very long period of drought (110 days) and also quite cold. The temperature in March rose abruptly, giving quite unusual weather for the season (between 20 to 22 C.). This meant that the vines recommenced their growing cycle quite a bit earlier than normal. A hailstorm in July caused damages in a limited agricultural belt in Valpolicella, but thanks to the good climatic conditions that followed the threat of deseases was eliminated. In August and September it did not rain at all and the temperatures in September were considerably higher than the seasonal average: the grape harvest therefore took place more than a week earlier than usual. Grapes in Valpolicella had excellent sugar level, very good concentration and colour. Quantity was 15-20% less than the previous year. Low humidity levels, rare foggy days and a marked variation between day and night temperatures during the winter season allowed an optimum drying of the grapes, which were perfectly healthy and showed an excellent sugar content. vaio armaron Alcohol % vol Sugars g/l 5 Dry extract g/l Total acidity g/l 6.10 mazzano Alcohol % vol Sugars g/l 4.20 Dry extract g/l 32 Total acidity g/l 6.10 notes notes 2007 VINTAGE qq After a mild winter and a spring with very little rainfall, the first half of June had plentiful rainfall combined with high temperatures, which became even higher in the second half of July. These two factors together combined to bring ripening phases forward by about two weeks. A light 15% green harvest was carried out in July. Harvesting took place slightly earlier than normal with slightly smaller quantities than usual, but with excellent quality grapes. Weather conditions for the appassimento process were ideal in the Valpolicella region. A mild winter, infrequent rain, low relative humidity values and a natural occurrence of Botrytis are promising signs for an exceptionally good vintage. vaio armaron Alcohol % vol Sugars g/l 7.1 Dry extract g/l 34.7 Total acidity g/l 6.18 mazzano Alcohol % vol Sugars g/l 3.20 Dry extract g/l 33.2 Total acidity g/l 5.95 notes notes 14

The technical achievements of the company and the internationally recognized high level of quality of the wines are the result of the Masi Technical Group s intensive internal system of control and

15 The technical achievements of the company and the internationally recognized high level of quality of the wines are the result of the Masi Technical Group s intensive internal system of control and consultation. For many years, this team of experts in viticulture, oenology and marketing has been involved in ongoing research, the aim of which is to restore the viticultural and oenological heritage of premium Venetian wines. Thanks to this Group, Masi is a pioneer in experimentation with and the use of secondary Veronese grape varieties (Oseleta, Dindarella, Croatina, Negrara, Forselina, Durella, etc.) just as much as with the principal grapes (Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara, and Garganega). After extensive research into grape appassimento, which has led to the creation of a new style of Amarone and thereby contributed to its success on the world stage, the Masi Technical Group, co-ordinated by Raffaele Boscaini, is now engaged in a specific project designed to enhance the elements that make for typicity in a wine. They are achieving this through a study of the phases of maceration and fermentation, emphasizing the role of indigenous yeasts, and deeper research into the effects of noble rot on grapes during appassimento.

16 Via Monteleone, Gargagnago di Valpolicella Verona Italy

Amarone della Valpolicella Classico

Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Appellation: Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG Vineyard extension (hectares): 1.30 Blend: 50% Corvina - 25% Corvinone - 10% Croatina - 10% Rondinella - 5% Oseleta