XXXIV MASI SEMINAR

WARNING: IN ORDER TO ATTEND THIS TASTING, BEFORE BOOKING / BUYING THE TICKET, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE AN ENTRY PASS FOR THE EXHIBITION VINITALY 2024 VALID FOR THE DAY IN WHICH THE TASTING TAKES PLACE.

"As everyone knows, “cru” is a French term: the word is the past participle of the verb "croître" which means "to grow", and is used to describe a particular vineyard that produces particularly good wine, and by extension, the wine itself that comes from that vineyard. Unlike in France, in Italy the concept of cru does not have a normative value, but is used to indicate the merit of a particular vineyard and the prestige of the wine that it produces. At Masi we have been pioneers in developing the cru concept in Italy since the 1950s, Identifying vineyards of special value, such as Campolongo di Torbe, Mezzanella and Mazzano, through a process of in-depth pedoclimatic and historical research in the Valpolicella Classica region. 

The main theme of this XXXIV edition of the Masi Seminar at Vinitaly will be the great crus of Amarone, but we will also examine the broader concept of terroir. This deals not just with the soil of the vineyard, but also with the climatic conditions and human input, in terms of the winegrowing practices that are the product of the history, culture and tradition of the area, all of which give defining characteristics to the wines of the area.

Of these elements, the human factor is the one that has traditionally been seen as the source of greatest variation, through changes in viticultural practice and oenological innovation, as well as through the changing demands of consumers.

The geo-climate, however. which was considered to be largely immutable in the past, has now taken on new importance with the ‘new variability’ introduced by climate change.  This will be the third topic of our seminar.  We will analyse how climate change can influence terroir and wine quality, with possible influences on historic vineyard sites, and how the identification of terroir sites and wine regions must now be accompanied by the analysis of climate models. We will analyse actuality, but above all we will be looking for new ways of adapting to climate change and taking advantage of the opportunities it creates."

Raffaele Boscaini

Head of the Masi Technical Group