A 250-year journey through the vineyards, from the first harvest in the land of Valpolicella in 1772 to the present day, narrated in “Amarone e oltre” – “Amarone and beyond”. This is the book in which Sandro Boscaini, president of Masi Agricola, traces the history of the family business now in its eighth generation. A dynasty that has made love and rootedness in its land – Valpolicella – and its main product – Amarone – the driving force for a brand that has conquered the world.
A cross-section of Italian history, from the decline of the Serenissima through the 20th century landing at the vanguards of the industry. The book is born with the pen running full lockdown to jot down personal anecdotes and first-hand accounts. Sandro Boscaini takes the reader along a fascinating and lively narrative, in which historical events are interwoven with those of the family, of wineries and vineyards, and of the territory, starting from his own valley to the Venezie, what he calls a “cultural terroir”. The narrative of entrepreneurial choices unfolds between personal events, technical curiosities (from the ancestor of Amarone, to the homemade preservation methods of the first vintages. Also worth reading is the story about the birth of Montefiorin Ripasso), testimonies and literary sources.
“It is the story of an encounter: that between an ancestor of mine and a place in Valpolicella Classica“, Sandro’s first comment during the book presentation event at the Feltrinelli bookstore in Verona. “The first, identified as the progenitor of my branch of the family. The second, a fortunate land like others, vocated to produce extraordinary grapes and for this reason destined to be known and appreciated in Italy and the world.” In the coming months, “Amarone and Beyond. Masi: 250 years of vintages, family and entrepreneurship” published by Egea will cross Italian borders. The English edition of the volume – edited by Bocconi University Press – will be available from the end of November.
Masi is one of the Famiglie Storiche – Historic Families of Amarone, an association founded by the union of ten historic wineries in Valpolicella that now has 13 members. These are prestigious wineries that have been active witnesses of the “Amarone world” for generations.
