Allegrini Palazzo della Torre Rosso Veronese IGT

Allegrini uses the modern version of the traditional 'ripasso' technique for Palazzo della Torre, drying a proportion of the grapes in the 'Terre di Fumane' drying centre to intensify the character of this vineyard. The fresh grapes were destemmed and pressed immediately after harvest while the dried grapes underwent the same process in the second half of December. Fermentation took place in temperature controlled stainless-steel tanks in 2 stages: the first at controlled temperatures of between 25 and 29°C for 10 days, the second at temperatures ranging from 8 to 10°C for 15 days. The wine was then aged in second use barriques for 15 months before being blended and bottled.

The Allegrini family estate covers 120 hectares of vineyard in the heart of Valpolicella Classico. Although they have been growing 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 a passion for and a commitment to quality wine onto his three children – Walter, Marilisa and Franco. They worked together to build on Giovanni’s quality ethos until Walter’s death in 2003. Franco looked after the vineyards and the winemaking while Marilisa has always been in charge of sales and marketing. From the 2007 vintage, Franco sacrificed the Classico status of the Valpolicella and bottled the wine under Stelvin to eliminate cork taint and random oxidation problems as much as possible. Franco sadly died in 2022. He led the way in Valpolicella’s quest for quality, forging a path that many others have followed.

‘La Grola’ is a sleek and beguiling wine, it sets the standard by which all other wines from Valpolicella are judged. The ‘Palazzo della Torre’, a ‘baby Amarone’ produced by Allegrini’s unique approach to the ripasso method, is plush and rounded.