2020 Passo Doble Tierra Soleada, Masi, Mendoza, Argentina
OVERVIEW
Ever wondered how a Venetian/Argentinian wine mash up would taste on the palate? Well, just like the Passo Doble Tierra Soleada from Masi Tupungato, an experiment in fusion that brings old world winemaking and new world fruit colliding together in the most delicious of ways. Bringing together the double fermentation ripasso method of traditional Valpolicella and the grapes too as Corvina is part of the cépage and blending it with the local, fresh and fruit forward Malbec.
Often these types of projects between old and new world are less fusion and more con-fusion but in the expert hands of Masi we have a new classic in the making. Superb.
CRITIC REVIEWS
Full bottle 1,358 g. Certified Ecocert organic and Organico Argentina. Screwcap. The property has 120 ha, 100 ha of which are vineyard and 20 ha which they preserve as a nature reserve to encourage biodiversity and protect the native flora and fauna. The vineyards are 950–1,050 m asl. You can see the snow-capped Andes from the vineyards. They have no neighbours so can be completely organic. The wines made at their Tupungato estate are intended to be a celebration of Venetian Italy and Argentina, so this 85% Malbec wine with its 15% Corvina backbone of acidity is made in the double-fermentation ripasso method. The Malbec is vinified immediately, but the Corvina does three to four weeks appassimento (climate is different so appassimento is faster) and the Corvina grapes are then pressed and added to the Malbec for the second fermentation. They call the wine Passo Doble because of the process but also because it represents the mixed Argentinean and Venetian heritage. The first vintage of this was made in 1999.
I have to confess that I was not expecting a ripasso-style Argentine-Venetian hybrid to be this fabulous, and I mean that in the most gloriously camp sense of the word – exactly as Susan Sontag defines it: ‘the spirit of extravagance … playful … anti-serious … in a dress made of three million feathers.’ This is most certainly an extravagant, playful, sumptuous sashay of a wine draped in indigo velvet with blueberry-stained lips and a peppery wit. It has the unmistakeable, intense, piercing purity, brightness and acuity of high-altitude fruit. And it has the deep-ocean blue of Malbec. And the Dionysiac prune and chocolate of ripasso; the fragrant herbs of Corvina running cool and true and sensible, grounding and governing a wine that threatens to combust in its own sultriness. GV 16.5 Points Jancis Robinson
FOOD PAIRING INSPIRATION
Not the easiest wine to pair with the power and spice of Corvina meeting the fresh and fruity Malbec but instead of exclusionary the wine is more versatile. We think this will pair well with a range of dishes from roasted red meats to veggie burgers.
VINTAGE AND WINEMAKING
One of the earliest harvests on record, the hot and sunny 2020 vintage brought harvest forward by a full month. To have any chance of freshness and acidity picking times were measured to the hour as the teams gathered the grapes in rapidly.
The grapes used in the production of this wine were 85% Malbec and 15% Corvina.
PRODUCER NOTES
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SERVICE AND STORAGE TIPS
This wine should be stored around 12°C and served between 16-18°C. We recommend a minimum of 1 hours decanting before approaching this wine.
DELIVERY INFORMATION
Delivery is free when you spend over £150. For orders under this amount then a £9.99 delivery charge will be applied.
We use a tracked DPD delivery service who provide text and email tracking updates.
Every bottle sold by CoolerSomm is subject to our quality guarantee. If a wine is corked or faulty, we will replace it.
2020 Passo Doble Tierra Soleada, Masi, Mendoza, Argentina
| Wine Card | |
| Wine Producer | Masi |
| Wine Region | Mendoza |
| Wine Classification | Valle de Uco |
| Wine Type | Red |
| Grape Variety | Corvina/Malbec |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Vintage Quality | Excellent - Parker |
| Maturity | For Drinking Today |
| Body | Full Bodied |
| Sweetness | Dry |
| Alcohol % | 14% |
| Bottle Type | Bordeaux 75cl |
| Serving Temperature | 16-18°C |
| Food Pairing | Veggie Burgers, Roast Dinners |
| Awards | 16.5 Points - Jancis Robinson |
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