Masi ‘Masianco’ Pinot Grigio – Verduzzo 2013
IGT delle Venezie, Italy $15.00 (620773) 13.0% alcohol
This Pinot Grigio-Verduzzo white blend offers aromas of floral notes, citrus and tropical fruit. It’s medium bodied with plush mouth feel and a generous stream of ripe pineapple, honeyed pit fruit and good lemony tang with grapefruit pith on the aftertaste. This pours well on its own—crisp and refreshing—and pairs beautifully with roast chicken or pork. (Vic Harradine)
Masi ‘Modello’ Bianco 2013
IGT delle Venezie, Italy $11.95 (564674) 12.0% alcohol
A multi-blend white—Garganega, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco—this dishes up an alluring nose of ripe apple, honeydew melon and notions of buttered toast. It’s mid weight with good mouth feel and a persistent flow of ripe Meyer lemon, white grapefruit and hints of white nectarine bathing the palate infusing the mid-length aftertaste. This sips well flying solo and matches up smartly with lighter-styled appetizers. (Vic Harradine)
Masi ‘Modello’ Rosso 2013
IGT delle Venezie, Italy $11.95 (533026) 12.0% alcohol
Produced from indigenous red grapes, primarily Refosco and Raboso, this Veronese red blend delivers aromas of smoke, dark berry fruit and wisps of black licorice. A medium weight, smooth and mellow river of red and black currant mingling with spice and dark chocolate persist through the balanced, fruity finish. Good to go now with pizza, ribs or burgers. (Vic Harradine)
Masi ‘Costasera’ Amarone Classico 2010
DOC Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, Italy $39.95 (317057) 15.0% alcohol
Sourced from premium grapes grown in ideal soil, aspect and climatic conditions, this reflects its provenance and the passion of Masi to produce and preserve decades of winemaking excellence. This leaps from the glass with lifted aromas of dark cherry, raisin, tobacco and fig. It coats the palate with a gusher of spice-laden ambrosia—dried black currant, spice cake, black plum compote and bittersweet chocolate. It’s full bodied and fully textured with a tell-tale sweet and tang Amarone bite on the lengthy finish. (Vic Harradine)
Barone Montalto Nero d’Avola - Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
IGT Sicily $8.95 (621151) 13.5% alcohol
Deep purple, this is a crowd-pleasing choice for burgers or meat-lovers pizza. Dry and mid-weight, this red blend is principally Nero d’Avola—an indigenous grape—showing attractive scents of plum, blackberry and spice. There are loads of ripe, dark fruit flavour matched with fresh structure, notes of black pepper and herbs and a characteristic lip-smacking bite on the finish. (Susan Desjardins)