Masi, Costasera Amarone Classico, Veneto, Italy, 2016

This is a big beast of a wine, with punchy alcohol, but it's delicious and well balanced. Owned by the Boscaini family since the 18th century, Masi is famous for its Amarone around the world. This 2016 vintage of Costasera sees the grapes dried using the appassimento method, which gives Amarone its sweet fruit flavours. The wine is aged in a mix of large and small oak barrels, before a short further period of bottle ageing. A warming wine, this has dark juicy plum and wild blackberry fruit, with notes of cocoa and charred oak. Enjoy with robust meat dishes, or strong cheeses.