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Allegrini · Palazzo della Torre · Veronese IGT · Veneto, Italy · 2023 · 750ml

Allegrini is one of the Veneto's most important wine families, with roots in Fumane di Valpolicella stretching back to the 16th century. Palazzo della Torre is their signature Veronese IGT — a wine that has quietly become one of Italy's great overachievers. Blended from Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, and a touch of Sangiovese, it undergoes a partial ripasso-style process: a portion of the grapes are dried before fermentation, adding concentration, depth, and structure that punch well above the wine's price point. The result is a bottle that drinks like an Amarone's younger sibling — at a fraction of the cost. At $20.99, this is the Italian red you reach for when you want to impress without overthinking it.

Deep ruby in the glass with a generous, dark-fruited nose of black cherry, blackberry, ash, incense, and a hint of dark chocolate. On the palate: full-bodied and richly textured, with lush fruit framed by graphite, crisp acidity, and tight, youthful tannins that give the wine real structure and aging potential. James Suckling awarded it 93 points for the 2023 vintage. Drink now through 2029, or cellar for a few years to let the tannins soften and the complexity deepen. Pair with braised short ribs, lamb ragu, aged pecorino, or a simple plate of charcuterie.

• Producer: Allegrini (est. Fumane di Valpolicella, Veneto)
• Wine: Palazzo della Torre · Veronese IGT
• Vintage: 2023
• Origin: Veneto, Italy
• Blend: Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Sangiovese
• Method: Partial ripasso-style drying process
• Style: Full-bodied, structured Veneto red
• Score: James Suckling 93 Points
• Drinking Window: Now–2029
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Black cherry, blackberry, ash, incense, dark chocolate, graphite, crisp acidity, chewy tannins
• Pair With: Braised short ribs · Lamb ragu · Aged pecorino · Charcuterie

Ripasso depth, Amarone soul — Allegrini's most reliable overachiever.

Allegrini · Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG · Veneto · Italy · 2021

Allegrini is one of the Valpolicella Classico’s most celebrated families — a benchmark producer whose Amarone has become emblematic of Italian oenology, standing alongside Barolo and Brunello di Montalcino as one of the country’s great red wines. The 2021 is a true classic of the appellation: Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, and Oseleta grapes air-dried until at least December, checked daily for perfect health, then vinified with the patience and precision that only a family with generations of expertise can bring. Lengthy refining and aging yields a wine of imposing structure, depth, and the kind of complexity that rewards both the cellar and the table. Rated 94 by James Suckling and 93 by Decanter, Wine Enthusiast, and Wine Spectator.

The 2021 is still very youthful but with enormous potential. The nose is intense and classic — bay leaves, fresh black pepper, prunes, blood orange, tamarind, licorice, and plums simmering with herbs. On the palate, creamy and full-bodied with roasted peppercorn, crushed black cherry, espresso, thyme, and cocoa, framed by firm, velvety, fine-grained tannins and refreshing acidity. Long, fresh, and elegant on the finish with graphite and spice. Drink now through 2040.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021

“Still very youthful, but with so much potential. Intense and zippy on the attack, there’s some wonderfully bright fruit fighting to break through the woody veil, with an orange peel halo. Beautifully balanced — but don’t open this yet!”
— Decanter · 93 Points

“This is what happens when earth meets elegance. Forest walks lead to a kitchen where plums simmer with herbs for wild game while cocoa adds its luxury touch. The palate keeps that old-school Amarone soul but adds modern polish, dusty tannins framing everything just right.”
— Wine Enthusiast · 93 Points · Cellar Selection

“Sleek and well-structured, offering flavors of crushed black cherry and black plum, black licorice, espresso, and thyme, all enmeshed with sculpted, fine-grained tannins. Long and fresh, with delicate notes of spices and graphite playing on the finish.”
— Wine Spectator · 93 Points

• Producer: Allegrini, Fumane, Valpolicella Classico, Veneto, Italy
• Vintage: 2021
• Appellation: Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG
• Blend: 45% Corvina, 45% Corvinone, 5% Rondinella, 5% Oseleta
• Method: Appassimento — grapes air-dried until at least December; checked daily
• Style: Dry red — full-bodied, imposing structure, velvety tannins
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Bay leaf, black pepper, prune, blood orange, tamarind, licorice, espresso, cocoa, graphite, velvety tannins
• Cellar: Drink now through 2040
• Pairings: Braised short rib, wild boar ragù, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, venison, osso buco, dark chocolate

JS:94 · D:93 · WE:93 · WS:93 · Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG — Allegrini’s benchmark appassimento red. Imposing, complex, and built for the ages.

Pellegrino Dry Old Marsala Superiore Secco is a benchmark expression of Sicily's most storied fortified wine, crafted by Cantine Pellegrino — one of Marsala's oldest and most respected houses, founded in 1880 in the sun-drenched western tip of the island. Aged to Superiore classification, this is a Marsala of genuine depth and complexity, made in the traditional dry (secco) style that showcases the wine's savory, nutty character without the sweetness of commercial versions.

Amber in the glass with warm golden highlights. The nose is immediately compelling: iodine, dried fig, roasted almond, and singed orange peel, with a whisper of ground clove and toffee that speaks to careful oxidative aging. On the palate, the wine is rich, smooth, and finely balanced — creamy in texture, with intense dried fruit flavors, a nutty core, and a long, lingering finish of clove and orange peel. Dry, complex, and deeply Sicilian.

Awarded 90 Points by Wine Spectator, this Marsala Superiore Secco is a rare find at this price — a serious fortified wine that rewards both the curious and the connoisseur. Superiore designation requires a minimum of two years of aging, and Pellegrino's meticulous cellaring shows in every sip.

Serve at room temperature as an aperitif, or well chilled alongside Parmigiano-Reggiano, prosciutto, pizza, or roasted nuts. An essential ingredient in classic Sicilian cooking — Chicken Marsala, Veal Marsala, and zabaglione.