Masi Serego Aligheiri Vaio Armaron Amarone della Valpolicella 2016

From the estate owned by the descendants of Dante near Lake Garda, the Amarones of Serego Alighieri are rounder and smoother compared to those of Masi itself. This wine includes 10% Molinara from a specific pre-phylloxera clone of the variety grown in the vineyards, and another distinction is the partial use of cherry wood barrels for ageing, for a more oxidative maturation. Deep and dark, this opens with scents of Parma violets, cocoa and dusty books. In the mouth it’s soft and supple, fleshy and silky, the aromas reflected in its flavours along with intense black cherry, bright red cherry and lavender. There’s great balance here, and it’s a wine to relax into over the course of an evening either with or without food. Drinking window: 2023-2042. Score – 95. (James Button, decanter.com, Nov. 22, 2023)