Allegrini
Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
2016
Allegrini's Amarone della Valpolicella Classico represents the pinnacle of traditional Veneto winemaking, combining the ancient appassimento technique with modern precision to create a wine of remarkable concentration, elegance and longevity.
Country
Italy
Region
Tuscany
More information
Producer
Allegrini is among the most respected estates in Valpolicella and a benchmark producer of Amarone della Valpolicella Classico. Located in the historic Classico zone of Veneto and family-owned for six generations since the 16th century, the estate has shaped the modern identity of the region through meticulous viticulture and a refined interpretation of traditional appassimento winemaking. The result is a portfolio defined by elegance, structure and the expressive depth of Corvina and Corvinone.
Quick Facts
- Location: Fumane, Valpolicella Classico, Veneto, Italy
- Founded: 16th century
- Ownership: Allegrini family, sixth generation
- Principal grapes: Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella
- Appellation: Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG
- Core vineyard: La Grola
- Soils: Limestone-rich calcareous soils on hillside sites
- Signature wine: Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
- Single-vineyard cuvée: La Poja (100% Corvina)
- Style: Structured, aromatic and refined with notable ageing potential
- Viticulture: Sustainable farming practices with careful canopy management
- Winemaking: Traditional appassimento combined with temperature-controlled fermentation
Six Generations in Valpolicella Classico
The Allegrini family's connection to viticulture in the Valpolicella Classico zone extends back to the 16th century. Across six generations, the estate has remained committed to cultivating indigenous varieties on the limestone-rich hillsides surrounding Fumane, where altitude, exposure and soil composition create ideal conditions for Corvina and Corvinone.
In recent decades, the family has invested significantly in both vineyard management and cellar technology, refining traditional methods while preserving the character and complexity associated with the region's finest sites.
Indigenous Varieties and Hillside Terroir
Corvina and Corvinone form the foundation of Allegrini's identity. These indigenous Veneto varieties thrive on the estate's calcareous hillside vineyards, where well-drained soils, cooling breezes and careful canopy work encourage physiological ripeness and aromatic intensity.
La Grola, one of the estate's core vineyards, exemplifies this terroir. Situated on steep slopes with limestone bedrock, it produces fruit of exceptional concentration and structure, contributing decisively to the Amarone della Valpolicella Classico and the estate's celebrated Valpolicella Classico Superiore.
La Poja, a single-vineyard wine composed entirely of Corvina, represents the estate's most individual expression. Grown on a distinct parcel and vinified without the appassimento process, it demonstrates the depth and elegance that Corvina can achieve when handled with precision and patience.
Refined Appassimento and Cellar Precision
Amarone della Valpolicella Classico is crafted using the traditional appassimento method, in which hand-harvested grapes are dried for several months in temperature-controlled lofts. This slow dehydration concentrates sugars, acids and phenolic compounds, creating wines of remarkable intensity and longevity.
Following fermentation, the wine matures in a combination of Slavonian oak botti and French barriques, a careful balance that allows the fruit and terroir to remain prominent while adding complexity and textural refinement. The resulting Amarone is structured yet elegant, with concentrated red fruit, spice, mineral tension and the capacity to evolve gracefully over two decades or more.
Allegrini's approach extends across its portfolio. Valpolicella Classico Superiore undergoes a brief appassimento and careful oak maturation, producing a wine that balances approachability with depth and precision. Each bottling reflects the estate's commitment to clarity, balance and the expressive potential of Valpolicella's indigenous varieties.
Country
Region
Tuscany
Tuscany is widely regarded as Italy's most prestigious wine region and has established itself as one of the world's great fine wine destinations. Located in central Italy, the region combines centuries of winemaking heritage with diverse terroir, producing some of the most collectible and age-worthy wines in the country. From historic Chianti estates to the acclaimed Super Tuscans, Tuscany represents the pinnacle of Italian winemaking tradition and innovation.
The region's diverse landscape encompasses rolling hills, varied elevations and distinct soil types that create ideal conditions for Sangiovese, Tuscany's signature grape. The Chianti Classico zone between Florence and Siena is characterised by galestro and alberese soils, producing elegant, structured wines with exceptional ageing potential. Montalcino's warmer climate and clay-limestone soils yield the powerful Brunello, while Montepulciano's volcanic and sandy terrains create the distinguished Vino Nobile. The coastal Bolgheri area, with maritime influence and alluvial soils, has become renowned for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot-based Super Tuscans that challenge Bordeaux's finest.
Tuscany is home to legendary estates including Antinori, Sassicaia, Ornellaia, Biondi-Santi, Fontodi and Castello di Ama. The region's DOCG classifications—Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Chianti Classico—represent the highest quality standards in Italian wine. These estates and appellations continue to define excellence in Sangiovese production while pioneering innovative blends that have reshaped the international fine wine landscape.
Whether exploring historic Chianti Classico, the refined elegance of Brunello or benchmark Super Tuscans, Tuscany offers an extraordinary journey through Italy's finest wine heritage. Discover Tuscany wines, compare prices from trusted merchants across Europe and find the best offers with Sipfind.
Grapes
Corvina is an indigenous red wine grape from Veneto and the most important variety in the traditional blends of Valpolicella. Valued for its aromatic character, natural freshness and structural contribution, Corvina produces wines ranging from light, vibrant reds to powerful, concentrated expressions created through the region’s historic grape-drying methods.
In youthful Valpolicella wines, Corvina commonly shows red cherry, sour cherry, red plum and violet, often accompanied by dried herbs, gentle spice and a characteristic bitter-almond note. Its naturally high acidity gives the wines energy and definition, while moderate tannins and a relatively delicate colour support an elegant, food-friendly style.
Corvina is particularly important in Amarone della Valpolicella and Recioto della Valpolicella. Both styles use appassimento, in which harvested grapes are dried before fermentation to concentrate sugars, aromas and structure. Amarone is fermented into a powerful dry wine with dark fruit, spice and considerable ageing potential, while Recioto retains natural sweetness balanced by Corvina’s acidity.
In Valpolicella Ripasso, young Valpolicella wine undergoes a second fermentation with the grape skins and lees remaining from Amarone or Recioto production. This process adds body, texture and aromatic complexity while preserving the red-fruit freshness of the original wine. Across Valpolicella Classico, Valpantena and the eastern valleys, differences in elevation, exposure and soil create distinct expressions of Corvina-led blends.
Corvina also contributes to Bardolino wines near Lake Garda and appears in a limited number of varietal wines, but Valpolicella remains its defining geographical identity. Its combination of cherry aromatics, vibrant acidity, structural versatility and suitability for appassimento establishes Corvina as one of Italy’s most distinctive indigenous red wine grapes.
History and Style
Amarone della Valpolicella Classico is the flagship wine of Allegrini, one of Veneto's most respected wine families. Produced in the historic Classico zone of Valpolicella, this wine exemplifies the estate's commitment to quality and tradition while embracing contemporary winemaking precision. The Amarone represents Allegrini's most prestigious bottling, showcasing the unique character of the region's indigenous grape varieties and the distinctive appassimento production method that defines this legendary Italian wine style.
Quick Facts
- Producer: Allegrini
- Classification: DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita)
- Region: Veneto
- Appellation: Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG
- Country: Italy
- Style: Full-bodied appassimento red wine
- Grape Composition: Corvina, Rondinella and other indigenous varieties (exact proportions vary by vintage)
- Ageing Potential: 15-25+ years from vintage
- Alcohol (ABV): 15-16%
- Tasting Profile: Dried cherry, plum, chocolate, spice, leather, tobacco, velvety tannins
- Food Pairing: Braised meats, game, aged cheese, rich pasta dishes, roasted lamb
- Serving Temperature: 16-18°C
- Bottle Status: Flagship
- Vintage: Vintage (varies by release)
Vineyard, Terroir and Style
Allegrini's estate vineyards are situated in the heart of the Valpolicella Classico zone, where limestone-rich soils and ideal hillside exposures provide perfect conditions for cultivating Corvina, Rondinella and other traditional varieties. The appassimento process involves carefully drying harvested grapes for several months, concentrating sugars, flavours and aromatic compounds before fermentation. This ancient technique, combined with extended maceration and ageing in oak, creates wines of extraordinary depth and complexity.
History and Reputation
The wine displays intense aromatics of dried cherry, plum, chocolate and spice, supported by a full-bodied palate with velvety tannins and remarkable balance despite its power. Rich yet refined, it combines the concentrated fruit character typical of Amarone with an elegance that distinguishes Allegrini's house style. The wine's structure and complexity reward extended cellaring, developing tertiary notes of leather, tobacco and dried flowers over time.
Compare prices for Allegrini Amarone della Valpolicella Classico on Sipfind and discover this exceptional expression of Italy's Veneto region from one of its most celebrated producers.