Recioto della Valpolicella Classico DOC “Giovanni Allegrini” 2018 – Allegrini (500ml)

The grapes to produce the Recioto della Valpolicella Classico DOC “Giovanni Allegrini” Allegrini were dried naturally for four to five months at the ‘Terre di Fumane’ – a temperature- and humidity-controlled drying centre. During the drying period, 50% of the original weight of the grapes was lost. Vinification began with the destemming and soft pressing of the grapes which were then fermented in stainless-steel tanks at temperatures of up to 22ºC. Maceration lasted for 25 days with daily pumping over. The wine was racked into 225-litre French oak barriques, where it remained for 14 months until bottling.

The south-east facing vineyards are situated in the hills of the Valpolicella Classico region at 280 metres above sea level. Soils there mostly consist of chalk and clay. The older vines are trained using the Pergola Trentina, with 3,000 vines per hectare, whereas the younger ones are Guyot trained, with 5,000 vines per hectare. The average age of the vines is 35 years.

The Allegrini family estate covers 120 hectares of vineyard in the heart of the Valpolicella Classico area. The family has been growing grapes here for six generations, but the estate in its current form was founded by Giovanni Allegrini. When he passed away in 1983, it passed to his three children, who ran it together until Walter’s death in July 2003. Franco now looks after the vineyards and is the winemaker, and Marilisa is director of marketing.