Allegrini PALAZZO della TORRE IGT Veneto

A blend of 70% Corvina Veronese, 25% Rondinella and 5% Sangiovese, the Palazzo della Torre is a full-bodied, supple wine, made in an innovative ripasso style. The young wine is refermented with just-crushed dried grapes, rather than the leeched skins of Amarone, as was traditional. The dried grape character makes it a baby Amarone in style. Palazzo della Torre, a single vineyard wine, fled the safety of DOC to become IGT from the 1997 vintage. The Allegrinis were fed up with the failure of the law to catch up with the quality demands of the modern consumer. They had long ceased putting Molinara in the blend, yet the law had failed to change. Similarly, they had increased the level of Corvina beyond the permitted maximum in search of better depth in the wine. The quality of all the wines Allegrini produce from their 70 hectares of vineyard is impeccable. They have fruit, balance, intensity, length, elegance, tipicity and, above all, drinkability. In short, they are among the elite of the world’s best producers of red wines. (6 x 75 cl)

This wine, made from grapes dried for about a month longer than those for Amarone, is one of Allegrini's flagship wines. The Giovanni Allegrini Recioto Classico is ruby red in colour, with aromas of dried cherries and a touch of spice. On the palate the wine is sweet with good intensity of dark, fruit cake flavours and has a remarkable power. It has excellent length, with notes of spiced, dried cherries on the finish. The Allegrini family estate encompasses 70 hectares of vineyard situated in the heart of the Valpolicella Classico area. The Allegrini family has been growing grapes in Valpolicella for several generations and the estate in its current form was founded by Giovanni Allegrini. Franco, Giovanni’s son, now looks after the vineyards and is the winemaker. (6 x 50 cl)

Palazzo della Torre from Italy by Allegrini Fine Wine (6 x 150cl)

Amarone della Valpolicella Classico represents modern winemaking at its best and embodies Franco Allegrini’s long-expressed goal of combining purity with balance and the traditional power and intensity of Amarone. The wine is a wonderful fusion of concentrated dried cherry fruit and fine, spicy, toasty oak. It has great structure, complexity and elegance yet remains intense and powerful through to the end, with a hint of spiced sour cherries on the finish. Grapes for the Amarone are hand harvested during the second half of September and are allowed to dry naturally for about 100 days at ‘Terre di Fumane’, a state of the art drying centre where both temperature and humidity are controlled. By drying the grapes under these conditions, the development of botrytis is avoided, and the integrity of the fruit is preserved. During the drying period the grapes lose 45% of their original weight. Allegrini’s modern approach ensures that the volatility which often characterises lesser Amarone is never found in his. The quality of all the wines Allegrini produce from their 70 hectares of vineyard is impeccable. They have fruit, balance, intensity, length, elegance, tipicity and, above all, drinkability. In short, they are among the elite of the world’s best producers of red wines. The price of grapes for Amarone has shot up dramatically in the past few years due to demand far outstripping supply. As a result, we're now beginning to see these grape prices being reflected by higher prices for Amarone. We feel though that Allegrini’s Amarone still remains excellent value for a truly world class wine. (6 x 75 cl)

Allegrini Amarone della Valpolicella Classico represents modern winemaking at its best and embodies Franco Allegrini’s long-expressed goal of combining purity with balance and the traditional power and intensity of Amarone. The wine is a wonderful fusion of concentrated dried cherry fruit and fine, spicy, toasty oak. It has great structure, complexity and elegance yet remains intense and powerful through to the end, with a hint of spiced sour cherries on the finish. Grapes for the Amarone are hand harvested during the second half of September and are allowed to dry naturally for about 100 days at ‘Terre di Fumane’, a state of the art drying centre where both temperature and humidity are controlled. By drying the grapes under these conditions, the development of botrytis is avoided, and the integrity of the fruit is preserved. During the drying period the grapes lose 45% of their original weight. Allegrini’s modern approach ensures that the volatility which often characterises lesser Amarone is never found in his. The quality of all the wines Allegrini produce from their 70 hectares of vineyard is impeccable. They have fruit, balance, intensity, length, elegance, tipicity and, above all, drinkability. In short, they are among the elite of the world’s best producers of red wines. The price of grapes for Amarone has shot up dramatically in the past few years due to demand far outstripping supply. As a result, we're now beginning to see these grape prices being reflected by higher prices for Amarone. We feel though that Allegrini’s Amarone still remains excellent value for a truly world class wine. (12 x 37.5 cl)

Allegrini Amarone della Valpolicella Classico represents modern winemaking at its best and embodies Franco Allegrini’s long-expressed goal of combining purity with balance and the traditional power and intensity of Amarone. The wine is a wonderful fusion of concentrated dried cherry fruit and fine, spicy, toasty oak. It has great structure, complexity and elegance yet remains intense and powerful through to the end, with a hint of spiced sour cherries on the finish. Grapes for the Amarone are hand harvested during the second half of September and are allowed to dry naturally for about 100 days at ‘Terre di Fumane’, a state of the art drying centre where both temperature and humidity are controlled. By drying the grapes under these conditions, the development of botrytis is avoided, and the integrity of the fruit is preserved. During the drying period the grapes lose 45% of their original weight. Allegrini’s modern approach ensures that the volatility which often characterises lesser Amarone is never found in his. The quality of all the wines Allegrini produce from their 70 hectares of vineyard is impeccable. They have fruit, balance, intensity, length, elegance, tipicity and, above all, drinkability. In short, they are among the elite of the world’s best producers of red wines. The price of grapes for Amarone has shot up dramatically in the past few years due to demand far outstripping supply. As a result, we're now beginning to see these grape prices being reflected by higher prices for Amarone. We feel though that Allegrini’s Amarone still remains excellent value for a truly world class wine. (6 x 1.5 Litres)

La Grola, a blend of Corvina, Rondinella, Syrah and Sangiovese, shows the continuing progress that Allegrini has made since the 1997 vintage. It is elegant and velvety, now displaying many more layers of flavour and complexity than in the earlier vintages. This is a sure sign that the La Grola vineyard, after almost 20 years, is now producing the quality of fruit that make it one of Valpolicella's most fabled crus. La Grola, a single vineyard wine, fled the safety of DOC to become IGT from the 1997 vintage. The Allegrinis were fed up with the failure of the law to catch up with the quality demands of the modern consumer. They had long ceased putting Molinara in the blend, yet the law had failed to change. Similarly, they had increased the level of Corvina beyond the permitted maximum in search of better depth in the wines. (6 x 75 cl)

This is a very good wine at this price, made using Valpolicella grapes grown on one of the best, south-east facing slopes in the Classico district, but bearing no resemblance to the light, juicy red stuff usually associated with that wine name. Full-bodied and spicy, La Grola is well worth laying down for five years or more, especially in this magnum format, to reap the full reward of its opulent fruit. (6 x 1.5 Litres)

The quality of this Valpolicella Classico shows just how rare producers like Allegrini are, as to produce this sort of quality consistently and at such a reasonable price is a remarkable feat. Made primarily from Corvina and Rondinella, the wine has superb colour, an attractive perfume of black cherries and a liveliness of fruit that is seldom evident in these wines. This is easily the best Valpolicella that Franco Allegrini has made in several years, thanks in part to the quality of fruit obtained in this vintage, but also to an intentional move back on Franco’s part to a wine with a bit more acidity on the finish, something that gives it a freshness and aromatic lift. (12 x 37.5 cl)