Masiero "Urban" Rosso Veneto 2017

There are volcanic terroirs all over Italy, I mean, the whole country was shaped by volcanic activity.  The Venetian basaltic soils are rarely top of mind in the wine context. Father and daughter team, Giulia and Franco run the Masiero family farm situated in the Trinté hills, between the Dolomites and Venetian plains. It's a region known for its steep natural amphitheater, rich calcareous and volcanic soils. This unique place gives a voice to their wines that goes beyond what one might expect from the grape varieties they grow. In this part of the Veneto region, Bordeaux grape varieties are considered to be traditional. They were first planted in the 1830s and took on greater importance after phylloxera struck. Nowadays, some of the oldest vines in the area are varieties like Merlot and Cabernet.

“Urban” is made from the Masiero’s oldest vines and is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, The wine ferments in neutral wood, then ages in concrete tanks before resting in the bottle for at least 6 months prior to release. The intention is clear: highlight complexity through purity. Merlot’s edgy blue fruit is on display here with tomato leaf and a sweet, palo santo-like smoke note. Firm tannins are fine grained, giving this medium bodied wine texture and structure. I’d recommend letting this breathe for 30 mintues or so. Bruno Sant’Anna