2016 Allegrini Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico

2016 Allegrini Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico

2016 Allegrini Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico

The result of the Allegrini family’s expertise, a true classic of the appellation, this red wine embraces tradition, territory and the know-how of country ways. Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Oseleta are left to air dry at least until December and are checked daily to ensure perfectly healthy grapes. Lengthy refining and ageing finally yields a red wine that has become emblematic of Italian oenology, alongside Barolo and Brunello di Montalcino. It has imposing structure and depth, as much in its aromas of mature fruit and spices, as on the palate, where the alcohol is sustained by the right degree of acidity and refined tannins.

Wine Enthusiast (95/100)Vinous (95/100)
There’s a dark, mineral-driven complexity to the 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico that keeps you coming back to the glass over and over again. Sometimes it’s licorice, sometimes blackberry or maraschino cherry, but always backed by a mix of autumnal spice, sour citrus and hints of animal musk that intrigue the senses. Velvety-smooth and almost creamy in weight, as sweet red fruits flesh out, taking on nuances of violet candies and cloves toward the close. This is pure elegance, dense yet balanced, and delivering a layer of fine tannins that linger long, as hints of bitter coffee and dark chocolate slowly fade. All of this, and at an amazingly respectable 15.5% abv. Bravo. Drinking window: 2023 – 2036

Allegrini is the Veneto’s most acclaimed winery, and their Amarone is the gold standard. The Allegrini family has been handing down grapegrowing and winemaking traditions over six generations, playing a major role in the Valpolicella Classico area since the 16th century.

Giovanni Allegrini is the patriarch of the modern estate and has worked hard to develop and perfect major innovations in the art of wine, particularly when it comes to Amarone. He was among the first in questioning local viticultural techniques, revolutionizing accepted practices, and speaking clearly about quality. He was able to combine the science of enology with strict grape selection, and between 1960 and 1970, made some of the Valpolicella’s best wines.

The estate is based in Fumane di Valpolicella, just north of Verona in northeastern Italy. Valpolicella, or “valley of many cellars” is an area crossed from north to south by a series of hills, which in succession form three parallel valleys. These valleys are crossed by steep-sided, narrow riverbeds which remain dry except during spring thaws or autumn rains.