Allegrini Corte Giara Valpolicella Ripasso

Corte Giara is the negociant label of Allegrini. The wines are made by Allegrini from fruit brought in from outside their own vineyards. They have a similar stamp of quality that sets them apart from most of the Veronese wines produced at this level.

The vineyards are situated in the hilly areas of the Valpolicella DOC, at an altitude of 180-250 metres above sea level. The vineyards face south east and are based on chalky and clay soils. The vines are trained according to the traditional pergola training system with a density of 3,000 vines per hectare. They are on average 31 years old and are pruned with 14-15 buds per vine.

The 2016 season saw many similarities to 2015, with a cooler winter and abundant rainfall. The beginning of the vegetative cycle saw alternate dry and rainy periods, which allowed the vines to develop well. The hot, dry summer that followed led to an abundant harvest of high quality grapes.

This wine was made using a traditional Veronese practice known as "ripasso". The grapes were destalked and crushed before being fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks at 23°C - 28°C for nine days with daily pumping over. Second fermentation was on the pomace from amarone in February, giving the wine more body and depth. It spent four months in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks and then matured on yeast lees for 11 months in large Slavonian oak barrels prior to bottling, where it remained for two months before release.

This wine has a deep ruby red colour with good concentration. On the nose, plump red fruit combines well with sweet spices, giving way to delicately spiced herbs. It is full and satisfying, with excellent structure and vibrant acidity that create a harmonious balance for a wine that is both smooth and vivacious on the palate.