When it comes to the best Italian wine there are a number of families that have a rich tradition in the industry that dates back for centuries. Many of these families have played a large part in defining the culture and quality that surrounds particular types of wine, making them extremely important not only in the wine industry but also as cultural influences in their own regions.
For no family is that more true than the Allegrini family, whose name and influence on Italian winemaking has been known for centuries. The family has maintained prominence since the sixteenth century, having an enormous influence on the Fumane province in Verona as a result.
Their biggest accomplishment is the establishment of the wonderful Valpolicella wine region, which has gained a reputation over the years as one of the truly great Italian red wines. Many who have experienced this great drink will have instantly fell in love with it, but many may be unaware of the history behind it and the many years of tradition of the Allegrini family.
Land Owners
Perhaps unsurprisingly for a major winemaker, the Allegrini family has a long history of land ownership in the Fumane region, which has in turn allowed them to contribute extensively to the local community in terms of improving the economy and offering jobs to many of the people who work in the province.
They maintain many acres of vineyards, all of which are integral to the production of their wines and must be maintained well and regularly to ensure that the quality that the family is known for is maintained throughout the many generations that they have been in operation.
As such, they employ many of the people who call Fumane home, offering them jobs working the vineyards and allowing them to contribute to one of the most important and beloved wines in Italy, further establishing the province’s reputation in the process.
Agriculture Innovation
As any company that has been involved in the winemaking industry will be able to tell you, innovation is a key aspect of ensuring that great wines adapt with the times while also maintaining that traditional aura that makes them so popular in the first place.
With more than 400 years of history in the Fumane area, it is perhaps no surprise that the Allegrini family have been major innovators over the years, introducing new agricultural techniques that provided immediate benefits for their vineyards but could also be co-opted by other famers in the region.
This tradition of investment in expansion and innovation has carried through to the modern day and the company continues to look towards modern innovations without losing sight of the importance of their own history and the many traditions that have allowed the company to build and maintain the reputation that it currently holds in the industry.
Tradition
From one extreme to the other, one of the most notable things about the Allegrini family is its adherence and contributions to local traditions. This extends far beyond the wines that it makes, though maintaining that particular history is of extreme importance to the company, to include a prominent role in the continued development of Fumane as a whole.
Official documentation reveals that the family have been an influence in the area for more than 400 years, often holding important positions of office while directly influencing the lives of the people of Fumane and the culture that has developed in the region.
This adherence to traditional values is one of the many things that make the family such an important influence in the region and that is likely to continue for many years to come.
The Wine
Of course, any visitors to this site are perhaps going to be most interested by the wines that the family makes, or in the case of the Allegrini family the one wine that they are most famous for.
We are talking, of course, about the La Poja wine that has helped the family to build its reputation and has created a legion of followers and admirers not only in its native Italy but also around the world.
This wonderful still red wine has ensured that the family remains steeped in the rich agricultural heritage of the Valpolicella wine region, marking the family out as one of the most important contributors to one of the largest DOC zones in the entire country.
Usually characterised by a full body of depth the likes of which few other Italian red wines can compete with, the families La Poja is already a favourite of many, but if you happen to have not experienced it yet you should place it right at the top of your list of Italian red wines that you are looking to explore.
Of all of the vintages of the La Poja wine that have been released over the years, it is perhaps the 2008 version that is amongst the most impressive. It has earned rave reviews in many different publications and has quickly become a favourite with everybody from the most casual of wine drinkers to the most experienced of sommeliers.
The wine is characterised by a full body that helps to make drinking it an extremely intense experience. This is not a wine to be enjoyed as an aperitif, as its complex flavours will quickly overwhelm taste buds.
Instead, its complex flavours should be enjoyed with a fine meal that complements its aromas of blackberries and spices. Richer dishes are the aim of the day here, so that they don’t get overpowered by the wine.
Furthermore, the wine is one that most certainly improves with age, with some estimates claiming that it could be aged by as much as 20 years of you so choose. That isn’t to say it isn’t of exceptional quality when consumed while still fairly young though, so you really can get the best of both worlds.
What is certain is that it is a wine that has been made to be enjoyed and its increasing popularity is extremely well-deserved.
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