WINE ADVOCATE: EXTRA HIGH SCORES FOR OUR AMARONES

Monica Larner's latest report: 'Italy, Veneto: Amarone della Valpolicella and Soave', published in Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, gives superior scores to our cru Amarones from high-hillside vineyards in the Valpolicella Classica region: Campolongo di Torbe 2009 (97/100) and Mazzano 2009 (96/100), both available as part of the prestigious Cantina Privata Boscaini collection.

Other good performers in our Amarone range include the famous Vaio Armaron Serego Alighieri 2011 (92/100), whose name is traditionally believed to be the origin of the term 'Amarone'; and 'Masi's gentle giant'- Costasera 2012 (92/100), a majestic and exuberant wine that is a versatile guest at table all over the world; plus its superior cuvée version - Riserva di Costasera 2011 (94/100).

As the report says, in Valpolicella Amarone is the principal protagonist of the Appassimento technique, the winemaking process that results in products that are 'more versatile than you might think'.

Read Monica Larner's notes on the characteristics of each Amarone tasted here:

• Campolongo di Torbe 2009 - Pt. 97/100

'The 2009 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Campolongo di Torbe is an irresistible wine that delivers the very best of Valpolicella in body and spirit. This is an enormously rich and generous red wine that offers a compelling sense of balance and integrity. This is no doubt one of the finest wines made by Masi. It delivers a seamless array of aromas with dark fruit, blackberry confit, baking spice and barbecue smoke that leave a lasting impression.'

• Mazzano 2009 - Pt. 96/100

'The 2009 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Mazzano is a profound and stunning expression. Amarone hardly gets better than this. The bouquet is balanced and complex at the same time and this is no easy feat for a wine made with air-dried grapes. Prune, black plum, blackberry confit, smoke, tar and barbecue smoke appear with carefully measured intensity. Aged cheese or fatty meat dishes would make a fitting contrast to the mouth-cleaning power of this very rich and powerful Amarone.'

• Riserva di Costasera 2011 - Pt. 94/100

'This is a beautiful wine by the technical winemaking team at Masi. The 2011 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva Costasera opens to a midnight black appearance and thick concentration. On first nose, you really get a sense of the power and depth of this wine. The bouquet is redolent of dried blackberry and plum with spice, barbecue smoke and cured meat. Masi's Riserva Amarone shows great results in warm vintages like this.'

• Costasera 2012 - Pt. 92/100

'The Masi 2012 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Costasera is a plump and rich wine that portrays the opulent characteristics of this hot vintage. Dark blackberry is followed by sweet tobacco, baking spice, tar or resin. This beautiful Amarone glides smoothly over the palate imparting dense extraction and dark fruit flavors along the way. The wine has the natural constitution to hold strong for the next decade.'

• Vaio Armaron Serego Alighieri 2011 - Pt. 92/100

'The inky black 2011 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Serego Alighieri Vaio Armaron is a dark, deeply layered and sophisticated red wine. Do not underestimate the intensity of this wine. The aromas peel off slowly at first but quickly gain momentum. Dried blackberry, Spanish cedar, mahogany, campfire ash and barbecue smoke are delivered with carefully measured intensity. The mouthfeel is decisively firm and thick with a point of tannic astringency on the close. The finish is syrupy and savory at the same time.'