TWO MINUTES WITH | Marilisa Allegrini

What’s your ‘last supper’ wine? 
Cheval Blanc 2000. I remember Pierre Lurton [chairman of Cheval Blanc] visiting us, and bringing some old vintages to taste. The 2000 was one of the best wines that I have ever tasted. I was so impressed with the aromatic expression of the Cabernet Franc and the spiciness and personality of the wine. I didn’t know that Cabernet Franc was capable of such elegance – it was this that inspired me to make a 100% Cabernet Franc in Bolgheri. 

Where’s your dream vineyard? 
The Valle d’Aosta. Though when you see how difficult it is to work the vineyards there, I think it will remain a dream rather than a reality. The vines are grown on terraces supported by dry stone walls, which give the landscape an unmistakable character. Looking at the vineyards torn from the mountain and planted on dizzying slopes, you immediately appreciate why they call this ‘heroic viticulture’. The exposure, the slope and the particular climatic conditions have certainly not made life easy for winemakers there, but their revival of winemaking has created a wonderful range of mountain wines. 

Who’s your wine hero? 
Fabio Alessandria of GB Burlotto in Barolo. Burlotto’s Monvigliero is one of the most beautiful expressions of Barolo, and every time I open a bottle, I see the beautiful evolution that this wine has. But what I like most about Fabio is his personality. The wine world is made up of many authentic people who are really in love with what they do, and are not arrogant. But Fabio is the ultimate representation of this kind of personality. He is so human and so humble – in addition to making beautiful wines. 

What’s the next big thing in wine?  
Sustainability. Working organically is a dream that most of us would like to achieve, but there are some regions where it is very, very difficult. Sustainability is an even wider concept, because with true sustainability, you have to respect the entire production chain – not only the vineyard, but the people that work for you. That is what I mean by sustainability – to have a social responsibility for the whole environment.

What’s your favourite wine memory? 
One of the very first glasses of wine I enjoyed with my father, when I was 19 years old. The wine was called Fiorgardane, a sweet wine that he used to make only for family consumption. We don’t make it any longer, sadly, but it was very special for my father. He was very fond of sweet wines, which he felt were always a winemaker’s greatest achievement, and it was made with 100% Garganaga, in Valpolicella, but not according to DOC rules. He would dry the grapes, exactly as we do for Amarone and Recioto, and the result was a very, very sweet wine with 150 grams per litre of residual sugar. I remember my father explaining the miracle of having this sweetness and this concentration, and because I tasted the wine with him and he explained it to me, it’s an experience that I always remember. 

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