With the Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 1997, Allegrini crafted one of the house’s standout Amarones from an era when the family was already seamlessly uniting its modern sensibility with the traditional art of appassimento. Sourced from the Valpolicella Classico zone and vinified after the natural air-drying of the grapes, the wine develops the signature concentration and density of fine Amarone. Revered as an exceptionally strong vintage, 1997 yielded a richly proportioned yet astonishingly precise Amarone.   

On the nose, intense, ripe fruit of black cherry, blackberry, and plum is accompanied by dried fruit and delicate hints of truffle. With aeration, violets, tobacco, graphite, vanilla, and dark spices emerge. Extended bottle maturation has increasingly woven the wine’s original opulence with balsamic and savoury tones without diminishing its aromatic power.  

On the palate, the Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 1997 possesses immense concentration and an exceptionally dense, velvety texture. Ripe dark fruit accented by dried plum and raisin remains astonishingly pure and taut thanks to vibrant acidity. Once formidable, the tannins are now finely resolved, while notes of chocolate, coffee, tobacco, and spice lend added depth. The finish is extraordinarily long, marrying fruit, savoury spice, and a delicate balsamic bittersweetness.

The Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 1997 thus impressively exemplifies the union of opulence and elegance that distinguishes great Amarone from Allegrini. Retaining remarkable substance and aromatic tension despite its age, it now rests in an enticing stage of maturity. Well-cellared bottles remain capable of further evolution, with its mature complexity today proving every bit as captivating as its youthful power and fruit richness.