Masi Agricola S.p.A. (“Masi” hereafter), listed on Euronext Growth Milan and one of Italy’s leading producers of premium wines, has signed a preliminary agreement for the acquisition of 100% of the Casa Re estate, owned by the Casati family, proprietors of the eponymous winery in Montecalvo Versiggia, just outside Santa Maria della Versa in the Oltrepò Pavese region.
Tenuta Casa Re consists of a single 13-hectare estate of vineyards, mostly planted with Pinot Noir and located in prime pedoclimatic and landscape situations, as well as various buildings, used for both production and accommodation purposes, and a fine Liberty-style villa.
The final contract will be signed in January 2024, after the completion of the necessary preliminary contractual measures. In the meantime, Masi will take over the direct management of Casa Re’s viticultural activities at the end of the current crop year.
Developments in the field of Metodo Classico sparkling wines: Masi Agricola goes to the Oltrepò Pavese Region
Masi is a leading producer of Amarone and has always interpreted the values of the Triveneto with passion. In 2022, it celebrates the 250th harvest of the Boscaini family in the fine vineyards of “Vaio dei Masi”, valley in the heart of Valpolicella Classica (1772-2022).
Masi offers recognised expertise, a method of drying harvested grapes, practised since Ancient Roman times to concentrate the colours, sugars and flavours in wines, and is among the historic interpreters of Amarone: its President, Sandro Boscaini, represents the sixth generation of the family to create Italian excellence with this wine. Today Masi produces five different Amaroni, offering the widest range and highest quality to the international market.
Almost fifty years ago, Masi began an ambitious project to exploit historic wine estates, collaborating with the Counts Serego Alighieri, descendants of the poet Dante Alighieri, owners of the estate that in Valpolicella can boast the longest history and tradition, with the Conti Bossi Fedrigotti, a prestigious brand from Trentino with vineyards in Rovereto, in addition to the historic château in the heart of Valdobbiadene di Canevel Spumanti, wine cellar famous for its premium spumantes and a member of the Masi Group since 2016. Masi hinges its business on social, ethical and environmental values and has a significant production of organic wines in both Triveneto and in the estates Poderi del Bello Ovile in Tuscany and Masi Tupungato in Argentina. And now, a new adventure in the Oltrepò Pavese Region.
Federico Girotto, Masi’s CEO, says: “Taking on vineyards in the Oltrepò Pavese is a complementary move from the Veneto region, which remains our preferred area. In fact, we have identified the strategic suitability of Oltrepò Pavese – homeland of the Italian Metodo Classico style – with other sparkling wines from the Masi Group’s range, such as Canevel in Valdobbiadene and Conte Federico Bossi Fedrigotti in Trentino, as a generator of synergies and source of potential areas of growth”.
Eugenio Casati, owner of Casa Re, comments: “The entrepreneurial and professional skills of the Masi Group, which make it an internationally renowned centre of excellence, will be able to make the most of our Estate in a virtuous circle of growth, which will benefit the entire Oltrepò Pavese region.”
The success of the operation is thanks to the consultancy services of Colline e Oltre S.p.A, a company owned by Intesa Sanpaolo and Fondazione Banca del Monte di Lombardia whose aim is to facilitate joint ventures for the relaunch and promotion of the Oltrepò Pavese territory.
“Oltrepò Pavese gives us the chance to talk about Italian products through the beauty of the area and above all the excellence of its vineyards, with a particular focus on Pinot Noir. The operation set up by Masi and Casa Re is another step to support the territory that the Colline e Oltre company is promoting in synergy with the Agribusiness Department, Intesa Sanpaolo’s centre of excellence dedicated to Italian agrifood,” noted Matteo Casagrande Paladini, General Manager of Colline e Oltre.
