This elegant Recioto Classico from Allegrini is perfect for sweet pairings. Featuring aromas of fruit, floral and pepper, the aged nuances of preserved fruit and herbs combine with acidity and tannins for an expertly balanced flavor. Named after the founder, Giovanni Allegrini, this full-bodied wine pairs best with dark chocolate pastries, gorgonzola, and fruitcakes.

About the Producer

The Allegrini family estate covers 120 hectares of vineyard in the heart of Valpolicella Classico. Although they have been growing grapes here for centuries, Giovanni Allegrini was the first to bottle the wines. After his death in 1983, Giovanni’s passion for and commitment to quality wine was passed onto his children – Walter, Marilisa, and Franco. They worked together to build on his legacy until Walter’s death in 2003. Franco looked after the vineyards and the winemaking, while Marilisa has always overseen sales and marketing. Franco sadly passed away in 2022 but was a pioneer in Valpolicella’s quest for quality. From the 2007 vintage, he 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, forging a path that many others have followed since.

Vineyard and Winery

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.

Harvest began in mid-September. After picking, the grapes 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 in January with the destemming and soft pressing of the grapes which were then fermented in stainlesssteel 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.