Vintage: 2021

VintageProduct CodeFormatClosureAvailability
2021AL216B216 x 75Natural CorkContact Us
Vegetarian
Vegan
Producer

The Allegrini family estate comprises 120 hectares of vineyard in the heart of Valpolicella Classico. Although the family has grown grapes here for several centuries, Giovanni Allegrini was the first to start bottling wines from the family’s vineyards. When he died in 1983, he passed his passion and commitment to quality winemaking onto his three children, Walter, Marilisa and Franco. Together, they worked to build on Giovanni’s quality ethos until Walter’s death in 2003. Franco looked after the vineyards and winemaking, while Marilisa continued to manage sales and marketing. From the 2007 vintage, Franco sacrificed the Valpolicella Classico classification by bottling the Allegrini wines under Stelvin to eliminate cork taint and reduce oxidation problems. Franco sadly passed away in 2022. He was an inspiring figure who led the way in Valpolicella’s quest for quality, forging a path many others have followed. In 2023, Franco’s sons Francesco, Giovanni and Matteo, alongside their cousin Silvia Allegrini (Walter’s daughter), became custodians of their family’s historic estate.

Allegrini’s Valpolicella has a lovely intensity of red cherry fruit, lifted perfumes and a ripe yet zesty character on the palate. ‘La Grola’, sleek and beguiling, sets the standard by which all other wines from Valpolicella are judged. The ‘Palazzo della Torre’, a ‘baby Amarone’ produced by Allegrini’s modern approach to the ripasso method, is plush and rounded. Their Amarone is outstanding, offering an expression that is intense yet balanced. The ‘Giovanni Allegrini’ Recioto Classico, named after the winery's famous founder, is bursting with fruit and notes of cherry intertwined with pepper and thyme.

In 2018, Allegrini purchased 40 hectares of land in the municipality of Pozzolengo after years of scouting the Lugana area around Lake Garda. They created a Lugana defined by lively acidity, which balances the natural richness of the Turbiana grape. The resulting wine is stylish and elegant, defined by classic floral aromas and hints of almonds.

Vineyards

The grapes for this wine come from 50 hectares vineyards in the municipality of Pozzolengo, to the south of the Lugana denomination, at an altitude of 100 metres above sea level. From the slopes of this medieval village, the Guyot-trained south-west facing vineyards stretch out as far as the small lake “Mantellina” that lends its name to the wine and to a protected unspoilt area populated by rare animal species (the “Oasis”). Here the clays become sandier and contain considerable gravely elements. These unique clays leave an unmistakable imprint on the Turbiana grapes enhancing the refreshing acidity of this grape variety.

Vintage

The weather in vintage 2021 was marked by a moderate rainfall, and a dry but cool spring that led to lower yields due to flower-bud blast, and therefore to the production of lighter bunches than usual. Ripening started very late compared to the last 10 years: the sunny weather, not too hot during the day and cool at night, allowed the vines to recover much of the delay, to the extent that on 20th September the ripening was in line with various past years. The season finished with very positive conditions: with no rain in the last 40 days of ripening, and dry, cool and breezy nights which ensured that the grapes’ acidity levels remained very strong. The combination of a cool and dry climate and healthy grapes made it possible to wait for the right aromatic and phenolic ripeness of the berries without losing freshness. To sum it up, the 2021 harvest can be considered exceptional.

Vinification

The grapes for this wine were harvested by hand. Once at the winery, the grapes were destemmed and then softly pressed. The must was fermented in stainless steel vats. The wine was then aged in stainless steel vats for four months and for two months in bottle before release.

Tasting Notes & Technical Details

Pale straw yellow in colour with greenish reflections. The delicate, understated fragrances proffer floral notes mixed with hints of almond. The palate is graceful, well-defined, taut and flavoursome.

Alcohol (ABV)

13%

Acidity

6.35 g/l

Residual Sugar

2.2 g/l

pH

3.18

Other wines from this producer

Producer
Wine
Product Code
Features
Style
AllegriniValpolicellaAL201
R
Red
Amarone della Valpolicella ClassicoAL202
Vegetarian
Vegan
R
Red
Factsheet
`Palazzo della Torre`AL203
R
Red
Factsheet
`La Grola`AL204
R
Red
`Giovanni Allegrini` Recioto ClassicoAL206
Vegetarian
Vegan
Sw
Sweet
Factsheet