The 1997 vintage was a generous one for the northern Italian region of Veneto. An early heatwave in March led to great conditions for early and full ripening of grapes. After a quarter century of age, this large-format Amarone will be full, rich and complex, with fascinating flavours of dried fig, roasted almond, espresso, sweet tobacco, and burnt brown sugar.

Back in the 1950s, Masi brought the concept of the single vineyard (or 'cru') to Veneto. One of their finest examples of a single-cru wine is the Amarone from the Mazzano plantings. The vineyard's high elevation, ideal sun exposure, and well-draining marl soil result in a boisterous, majestic wine that offers an abundance of flavours and aromas. This show-stopping double magnum will drink well now or can be cellared until 2040.

Masi did not produce a 2014 of this singe-vineyard wine, as the vintage did not live up to their exacting standards. This is a profound, elegant, powerful wine that exhibits an exquisite sense of balance alongside its rich black fruit, tobacco, tar and spice. It will continue to evolve for three decades or more from vintage.

Fresh violets, lilac, wild plums, allspice and wild herbal aromas pour from the glass. The focused palate shows tart cherry preserves, warmed cloves, roasted coffee and dark chocolate that finishes with a crushed chalk minerality. Fine tannins are present but in balance, working with fresh acidity to keep this wine in harmony. Drink now-2045. Editors' Choice. Score - 97. (Jeff Porter, Wine Enthusiast, Oct. 1, 2023)

Decadent flavours, refined structure and aging potential lift Amarone into the aristocracy of Italian wine. Expertly crafted using the Veneto grape trinity of Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara, the Costasera Amarone shows coffee, cocoa, and rich dried fried notes. It is well suited for richly flavoured dishes and cheeses.

Decadent flavours, refined structure and aging potential lift Amarone into the aristocracy of Italian wine. Expertly crafted using the Veneto grape trinity of Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara, the Costasera Amarone shows coffee, cocoa, and rich dried fried notes. It is well suited for richly flavoured dishes and cheeses.

While this is a far reach from the redder fruited, crunchier and pixelated expressions of Classico that increasingly define an exciting region, there is little debate as to the style sought at this address and the fine quality on offer. Cherry wood oak, unique and intriguing, makes its presence felt across a swathe of burly, dusty tannins. The nose, macerated boozy cherries, alpine pine, balsamic and freshly polished stairwell. The finish, strident and long-limbed. Drink or hold. Score - 93. (Ned Goodwin, MW, jamessuckling.com, April 12, 2023)

A whiff of sun-warmed leather, dried violets, and a sprinkle of spices mingle with ripe blackberries and a hint of tobacco. Macerating cherries, cinnamon, and star anise join forces with shaved dark chocolate on the full-bodied palate. This Amarone's refined tannins and elegant structure make it a boldly sophisticated wine that's hard to resist. Drink from 2026. Score - 95. (Jeff Porter, Wine Enthusiast, April 1, 2025)

The style of this particularly traditional wine producer is emphasised by the exclusive use of the Serego Alighieri clone of the Molinara grape, and by the signature short-term ageing in 600-litre cherry wood casks. A normal fermentation for 15 days in stainless steel is followed in December by a 'double' fermentation using semi-dried grapes harvested later than the main crop. After 18 months in Slavonian oak barrels there follows the crucial four months in cherry wood, then a further six months in bottle. A Maraschino cherry character comes across on the aroma, as well as cinnamon and the merest hint of clove. Fresh acidity and textured, ripe, slightly dry tannins underpin the dark, soft cherry fruit on the palate. The finish is pleasingly extended. Drinking window: 2022-2026. Score - 89. (Nancy Gilchrist, MW, decanter.com, April 30, 2022)