“Giovanni Allegrini” Recioto della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2019 dolce

Allegrini | Veneto
Allegrini Wines S.r.l. | Via Giare 5 | IT 37022 Fumane

03012719 · 0,5 l · 90,00 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shipping< 24 units available

Giovanni Allegrini was a modest man who woke Valpolicella from its slumber in the 1960s and became the architect of its rebirth. His benchmark for the art of winemaking? The Recioto. According to Giovanni, those who mastered Recioto mastered everything. He died in 1983 without experiencing the full bloom of his life's work. Seven years later, in 1990, his children Franco, Walter and Marilisa dedicated this wine to him – the oldest in Valpolicella, whose origins date back to Roman times. Cassiodorus described the Appassimento as early as the 5th century.

Recioto is the noble ancestor of Amarone: while fermentation consumes all the sugar in Amarone, Recioto retains its natural sweetness – a wine, it is said, that invites contemplation and accompanies life's most joyful moments. The 2019 vintage comes from the Marezzane and Villa Cavarena vineyards, between 450 and 520 metres above sea level, where limestone and clay characterise the soils. Corvina Veronese and Corvinone each make up 40 per cent, supplemented by Rondinella and the rare Oseleta. Hand-picking at the end of September, then five months of rest in the Fruttaio of Terre di Fumane. The grapes lose half their weight, concentrating sugar, acidity and aromas into an extract of almost 140 grams per Liters. Gentle pressing at the end of January, 25 days of maceration, then 14 months in new French barriques, followed by ten months of ageing in the bottle.

Deep ruby red in the glass with garnet-red reflections. The nose: cherry jam, fig, cinnamon and cloves, plus dark chocolate and a hint of mint. Velvety and full on the palate, with present but silky tannins that give the wine a remarkable length. The sweetness – 97 grams of residual sugar – never seems heavy, but is elegantly balanced by the acidity. A wine for special moments: with dry pastries, cantucci, the crumbly sbrisolona of the Veneto or dark chocolate. Or simply on its own, in quiet contemplation, just as Giovanni would have loved. SUPERIORE.DE