More wines available from Allegrini
750ml - 1 Bottle
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Rated 94 - Blue flower, baked plum, exotic spice and pipe tobacco are just some of the aromas you'll find on this...
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Rated 95 - The top-shelf wine from Allegrini is the 2013 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva Fieramonte. This...
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Rated 96 - The Allegrini 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva Fieramonte is skewed tight and buttoned up...
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This blend of 70% Corvina Veronese, 25% Rondinella and 5% Sangiovese is a smooth, full-bodied cru made in an...
750ml
Bottle:
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Rated 92 - Just bottled. A classic blend from a dry vintage, among the driest on record, competing with 2003. Yet the...
More Details
Winery
Allegrini
Vintage: 2008
2008 saw very high yields across wineries in much of the southern hemisphere, as a result of highly favorable climatic conditions. Although in many areas, these high yields brought with them something of a drop in overall quality, this could not be said for South Australia's wines, which were reportedly excellent. Indeed, the 2008 Shiraz harvest in South Australia is said to be one of the most successful in recent decades, and western Australia's Chardonnays are set to be ones to watch out for. New Zealand's Pinot Noir harvest was also very good, with wineries in Martinborough reportedly very excited about this particular grape and the characteristics it revealed this year.
Pinot Noir also grew very well in the United States, and was probably the most successful grape varietal to come out of California in 2008, with Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley delivering fantastic results from this grape. Elsewhere in United States, Washington State and Oregon had highly successful harvests in 2008 despite some early worries about frost.
However, it was France who had the best of the weather and growing conditions in 2008, and this year was one of the great vintages for Champagne, the Médoc in Bordeaux, Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence, with Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay grapes leading the way. Italy, too, shared many of these ideal conditions, with the wineries in Tuscany claiming that their Chianti Classicos of 2008 will be ones to collect, and Piedmont's Barberesco and Barolo wines will be recognized as amongst the finest of the past decade.
Varietal: Corvina Blend
Corvina varietal grapes have been grown in Italy for well over a thousand years, and are most closely associated with the coastal region of Veneto, where they are used to fantastic effect in the finest wines of the region. Most notably, Corvina grapes are used as a primary varietal in the blended Amarone and Valpolicella wines – two aged wines which make the most of the potential Corvina has for maturation. The rather high acidity levels in Corvina grapes make them an excellent candidate for aging, as the acids mellow over time and reveal their wonderfully complex and deep flavors of sour cherries and almonds. The thick skins of the Corvina grapes result in a bright crimson wine, and the skins themselves have relatively low tannin levels, making these wines very drinkable and delightfully light in body.
Region: Veneto
Veneto's wine are much loved around the world for their strength of character, and the region itself is an interesting one from a viticultural perspective. Sheltered by the Alps, Veneto is protected by the harsh central European climate, making it possible to grow a wide range of high quality grape varietals, which wineries manage to do to great effect. This beautiful corner of north-eastern Italy has over ninety thousand hectares under vine, with over a third of this area having the prestigious DOC rating awarded to it by the Italian government. Veneto is Italy's second largest producer of wines, and their dedication to quality and innovation brings about a fantastic range of wine styles, enjoyed around the world for their flavors, aromas and distinctive character.
Country: Italy
There are few countries in the world with a viticultural history as long or as illustrious as that claimed by Italy. Grapes were first being grown and cultivated on Italian soil several thousand years ago by the Greeks and the Pheonicians, who named Italy 'Oenotria' – the land of wines – so impressed were they with the climate and the suitability of the soil for wine production. Of course, it was the rise of the Roman Empire which had the most lasting influence on wine production in Italy, and their influence can still be felt today, as much of the riches of the empire came about through their enthusiasm for producing wines and exporting it to neighbouring countries. Since those times, a vast amount of Italian land has remained primarily for vine cultivation, and thousands of wineries can be found throughout the entire length and breadth of this beautiful country, drenched in Mediterranean sunshine and benefiting from the excellent fertile soils found there. Italy remains very much a 'land of wines', and one could not imagine this country, its landscape and culture, without it.