A megastar at an affordable price
2006 Palazzo della Torre, Allegrini, Veneto, Italy (£14.99, Roberson Wine, 020-7371 2121; Connolly's Wine, 0121-236 9269; Valvona & Crolla, 0131-556 6066;
www.harperwells.com
; Corks of Cotham, 0117-973 1620).
Allegrini is a megastar in the Veneto region of northern Italy.
This is a name to look out for on wine lists because the wines from this noble estate start with an inexpensive 2008 Valpolicella, which never disappoints, and heads all of the way up to the knockout, super-cuvée 2004 La Poja and a 2005 Amarone, which is among the finest of its kind on the planet.
Now, you will have to drop £100 in a restaurant for these two, so how do you get a decent slice of the majesty of this estate, but for a much more affordable price tag?
Pallazo della Torre (a ripasso technique Valpol which gathers extra density from being passed over dried grapes and refermented) is a stunner, with more than a nod to its two stellar colleagues.
You will find it on many of the UK's top Italian lists at around the £40 mark, however it really hits the spot at £15 from the above wine merchants.
• Matthew Jukes is a winner of the International Wine & Spirit Competition's Communicator of the Year.