“Monte Lodoletta” Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2011 late release

Romano Dal Forno | Veneto
Az. Agr. Dal Forno Romano | Località Lodoletta 1 | IT 37031 Cellore d'Illasi

03292111 · 0,75 l · 460,00 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shipping2 units available
Limitation of 2 articles per customer

There is no launch schedule for this wine. No planned release date, no marketing strategy. Marco Dal Forno has opened his treasure trove – and brought out the 2011 vintage. That is all you need to know. Romano Dal Forno makes his decisions in the vineyard, not in the cellar. Only vines over ten years old provide grapes for the Amarone – only the finest plots on Monte Lodoletta. After the harvest, three months of appassimento in the drying rooms of the well-ventilated Lodoletta: the berries lose up to 40% of their weight; what remains is concentration in its purest form. Fermentation takes place in steel tanks with computer-controlled pump-overs, followed by at least 24 months in new barriques, then years – many years – in the bottle. The vintage itself was full of surprises: it started off cool, exploded in August, then cooled down again by harvest time.

What this sequence leaves behind is the contrast that makes a great Amarone possible in the first place: concentrated warmth and freshness in a single glass. Ink-black. Plum, coffee, leather, blackcurrant, a hint of dried fig. On the palate, power and silkiness without compromise – and an acidity that carries the long, spicy finish right to the very end. Who knows when the treasure trove will open again. SUPERIORE.DE

"A deep, dark ruby colour with violet hues. On the nose, rich notes of café au lait, precious woods, rich cassis and black cherry, accompanied by elegant earthy tones, with a subtle hint of alcohol in the finish. Rich on the palate with warm fruit, displaying tight, earthy tannins and good juiciness; full-bodied, slightly alcoholic, with a slight dryness in the finish; can and should be laid down for further ageing." Falstaff

"The grapes are a late-harvest selection from the finest vineyards on Monte Lodoletta and remain in the drying rooms until December/January, where they lose between 30 and 40% of their water content. After pressing and vinification, the wine is aged in new oak for 23 months. Three years in the bottle round off the wine before it is released onto the market. This Amarone is produced only in great vintages. The 2011 Amarone offers aromas of roasted plums, chocolate, pepper and leather; its texture combines powerful yet supple tannins with lively acidity and great refinement; the finish is both powerful and elegant. An exceptionally precise icon of Valpolicella, which pairs superbly with autumnal game dishes." Vinum

"The Dal Forno Romano 2011 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta is 20 steps beyond the most extracted wine you have ever tasted. Its 17% alcohol content is daunting and extreme, as is the wine's concentration. It shows bitter tannins with hints of tree bark and all kinds of Christmas spice." Wine Advocate

"The Amarone della Valpolicella Lodolette 2011 is dark and alluring, with a hauntingbouquet of incense, exotic spices, cloves, black cherries with a hint of balsamic, sage and flint that enthrals the senses. It feels velvety on the palate, with a depth of ripe red and blue fruits complemented by hints of cocoa and blood orange. A refreshing acidity keeps the experience crisp, even as the primary concentration floods the palate, leaving behind a web of fine-grained tannins and a subtle citrus note that lingers for an incredibly long time. The 2011 is beautiful, livelier than expected and highly complex. This is a breathtaking achievement. The 2011 was the first vintage in which Dal Forno fermented its Amarone with less than one gram per Liters of residual sugar. It was aged 100% in new French oak." Vinous

"A dark, deep and highly complex wine, brooding in its earthy aromas of coffee, leather, plums, milk chocolate, game and meat, complemented by dried figs and toast. Opulent and powerful, with a soft palate, a full body and a savoury acidity that lifts slightly on the finish. Ripe, velvety tannins with a robust aftertaste." James Suckling

"This is a powerful wine, dense and full-bodied. It reveals notes of charcoal, smoke and tar, which provide a seductive contrast to molasses and pomander. The extraction is almost overwhelming, so this wine will benefit from ageing." Decanter