The Allegrini family has been making wine in the Veneto since the 16th century. It rather understates things to say that the Allegrinis know what they’re about, but they do, and today the family produces almost one million bottles of tip-top quality vino a year.
And although the Allegrinis now make wine in Tuscany and Montalcino as well, it is in Valpolicella that they made their name and where their hearts beat strongest. Their wines are truly fine – the equivalent of top cru classé claret – and are beloved by critics as diverse as Robert Parker, Jancis Robinson and the Wine Gang. If your only exposure to the wines of Valpolicella hitherto is the standard fare in your local trat, then, my goodness, you’ve a treat in store!
The Wine Company are offering us five of the Allegrini range here at remarkably generous, one-off, once-they’re-gone-they’re-gone prices. These might still seem alarmingly steep, but I assure you that the equivalent wines in Bordeaux, Burgundy or Bolgheri would be twice the price, if not more. These are grown-up wines for laying down and for investing in as well as for enjoying now with first-rate grub. They’re not for necking back with the spag bol. On the 12-bottle taster case, for example, there’s a saving of almost eighty quid on the Wine Co’s RRPs, which are already among the keenest in the market. These are exceptional, sought-after wines at – for them – extremely keen prices.
The 2011 Palazzo della Torre (1), made from air-dried Corvina, Rondinella and Sangiovese grapes, is simply packed with concentrated, rich, ripe, smooth, spicy dark cherry flavours. A great introduction to fine Valpol.
The 2011 La Grola (2) has a touch of Syrah added to the Corvina, giving Newgate-Knocker-black fruit and spice to the concentrated dried figs, currants, leather and tobacco. Deeply complex.
The 2008 La Poja (3) is 100 per cent Corvina and only fewer than 1200 cases were made of this lip-smackingly fine wine. It is full of opulent and voluptuous blackberry, blackcurrant and bitter cherry flavours with a long, spicy, peppery finish. And it’s big stuff, too, at almost 15% vol.
The 2009 Amarone della Valpolicella (4) gained a 93/100 score from Robert Parker and – for what it’s worth – he’s a huge fan. It’s warm, spicy, bitter-sweet and velvety and unlike any wine you would find outside the region. Exceptional.
Made from grapes dried naturally for up to five months, the 2010 Reciotto della Valpolicella Classico (5) is an extraordinary wine, sweet, spicy, intense, floral and wonderfully, warmingly, seductively juicy. The Romans made wine like this and you won’t find anything else like it.
Comments