Romano Dal Forno

Der Star des Hauses gibt wie jedes Jahr den Dominator im Dal-Forno-Stil. Dunkel und dicht enthüllt er ein Intensivbukett mit marmeladigen Aromen roter wie dunkler Früchte, neben denen Gewürze und Holz, Tabak und Schokolade anklingen. Als überwältigende Machtdemonstration erlebt man zugleich den jugendlich-stürmischen Geschmack. SUPERIORE.DE

"The 2014 is a unique rendition of Dal Forno’s Valpolicella Superiore Monte Lodoletta. It's a remarkably pretty wine, displaying crushed ripe strawberries and plums with cinnamon, clove, vanilla bean and a cooling hint of mint. The textures are velvety, coating all that they touch in glycerol fruit concentration, yet somehow coming across as zesty and spry, contrasting weight with saturating notes of tart blackberry and savory spice. There’s a bit of a lull in the midpalate, yet it hardly takes away from the experience. At times, the Monte Lodoletta can seem almost salty, especially through its long, mouthwatering finish, where hints of cherry pits and herbs linger. This atypical yet truly enjoyable expression is the result of the extremely difficult 2014 vintage, when hail damaged and reduced the crop in the lower-elevation vineyards, followed by rain from August through September. As a result, Dal Forno decided not to produce their Amarone, and to instead focus all of their attention on the Valpolicella. The result is a wine that no Dal Forno fan should miss." Vinous

"A beautiful, polished red with dried-berry, plum, floral and cedar aromas. Full body and a flavorful finish. Extremely refined and polished, more so than many past vintages. Already gorgeous, but needs a year or two to come together." James Suckling

Passito Seré ist kein neuer Wein von Dal Forno, sondern der ehemalige Recioto DOCG, der nun als IGT auf den Markt kommt - wenn man ihn denn überhaupt zu sehen, bzw. zu trinken bekommt. Unglaublich reich und dicht, viel reife, dunkle Frucht und geröstete Kaffeebohnen im Bouquet. Opulent und großzügig am Gaumen, die Süße zeigt ausgezeichnete Balance. Ein besonders strukturierter und geradezu magischer Dessertwein. SUPERIORE.DE

"Labeled as “air-dried sweet red wine” instead of its traditional name “Recioto,” this is indeed a powerful and generous wine. It boasts huge density and superintense aromas of blackberry, oak spice and tobacco. Keep it for your cellar." Wine Enthusiast

"Bright deep ruby. Intense but refined aromas and flavors of red cherry jam, licorice cocoa and flinty minerals, with a bright violet topnote. Lively but harmonious acidity really lift and extend the rich high concentrated and multilayered flavors on the long, luscious and very precise finish. In many respects, this is always my favorite wine from Dal Forno, as I find it has impeccable balance (14% alcohol, 150g/L r.s. and 7g/L total acidity) and a very high easy-drinking quality (especially given a rather crazy-high 56g/L dry extract). The extremely high quality of this wine (it used to be labeled as a Recioto della Valpolicella) and Dal Forno’s exacting standards are well demonstrated by the fact that he has only made this wine six times in the roughly thirty year lifetime of the estate! Even though the 2004 vintage was marred by an early July hailstorm, this is one of Dal Forno’s best Reciotos ever." Vinous

"The 2004 Passito Rosso Vino Dolce Vigna Seré is a masterpiece that is impossible to repeat. In fact, the wine has not been produced since 2004. Even if a vintage as good as this did come along, we'd need to wait another 13 years before we could enjoy this level of maturity and evolution. Formally a Recioto della Valpolicella, this sweet red wine is made with air-dried fruit as local tradition dictates. Luckily no botrytis set in that year, because that would have eroded the wine's deep and luscious color saturation. The bouquet delivers a generous flow of dark spice, bitter chocolate, espresso, raisin, plum, barbecue spice and teriyaki smoke. The concentration and layering of the wine are both rare and distinctive. The mouthfeel sees sweet flavors with a syrupy mouthfeel. The finish offers hints of caramelized brown sugar and savory hickory. The aging window is impossible to predict, but the wine is surely built to last. I can think of no other wine that comes close to matching this unique style." Robert Parker

Drei Jahre nach der Annata bringen Romano und seine Söhne eine Kleinauflage des gleichen Jahrgangs in der Magnumflasche auf den Markt. Dunkel und dicht enthüllt er ein Intensivbukett mit marmeladigen Aromen roter wie dunkler Früchte, neben denen Gewürze und Holz, Tabak und Schokolade anklingen. Als überwältigende Machtdemonstration erlebt man zugleich den jugendlich-stürmischen Geschmack. SUPERIORE.DE

"The 2011 Valpolicella Superiore Monte Lodoletta is a darkly concentrated but carefully balanced expression that only the most expert vintner can pull off with success. Consider that the dry extract is a massive 48 grams per liter. In fact, there is some minor precipitation of color matter even at this relatively young age. This wine was aged in new oak for two years (instead of the standard three years) with four years bottle (instead of three). That extra year in glass served to help the wine integrate and to reduce micro-oxygenation. The bouquet is bright and fragrant with floral notes of rose and violet that are rare to find in Valpolicella. There are faint tertiary notes as well that add to the complexity. You will find cured leather and savory spice. The finish offers enough acidity to refresh the palate, following that considerable density and thickness." Robert Parker

"A powerful and dense red with so much concentration of fruit and chocolate undertones. Hints of toasted oak. Full body and a velvety texture. Fantastic and dense red as usual." James Suckling

"This wine is a blend of 70 per cent Corvina with 20 per cent Rondinella and just 5 per cent each of Croatina and Oseleta. It’s deep black-red in colour, and is dark and forceful, sombre yet voluptuous in aroma: a harmonious weave of black chocolate, sloe and elderberry, with the years in oak bringing a cedary refinement. On the palate, it’s a vault of a wine: deep, dark and roomy, packed with earthy refinements and black-fruited echoes, both severe yet soft and enticing too. The tannins are ample yet fine-grained, the acidity delicate and sustaining. I wrote about the ‘crocodilian’ character of grand Veneto dried-fruit reds wine back in April, but the teeth are polished ivory here. This is horizon-altering ‘Valpolicella’ which would perform outstandingly in any Amarone tasting." Decanter

Ein Monument von Wein! Brillantes Dunkelrubin. Frisch, seidig, elegant - und majestätisch. Brombeermarmelade, Veilchen, bittersüße Schokolade, dazu zerstoßenes Felsgestein und Mineralik. Ein opulenter Wein mit fabelhaft polierten Tanninen und einem beachtlichen Reifepotenzial. SUPERIORE.DE

"Absurdly intense on the nose, saturated in dark-plum essence, vanilla, tar, ash, mocha and light raisins. Somehow, this still manages to be fresh and elegant — that’s thanks in part to the fine nature of the tannins, which on the surface seem brash and burly. Full-bodied and very, very long, casting dark fruit deep and ingrained. A stunning blockbuster of a wine that will either thrill or disturb." James Suckling

"The 2013 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta needs time – and a lot of it – to show all of its charms. But worry not, because you can already find pleasure in its dramatic display of rich plums and cherries dipped in mocha-infused chocolate with a dusting of cinnamon sugar and sweet tobacco. This is black as night yet truly purple in color, with depths of concentrated wild berry fruits contrasted by zesty acids that do an amazing job of lifting the expression. Grippy tannins saturate slowly, sneaking up on you and lasting throughout the impossibly long black hole of a finish, where notes of licorice, bitters and a coating of cocoa powder linger. Wow. The 2013 is built for the cellar and with tons of upside potential. If you dare to delve into one of these while young, I’d suggest opening your bottle a number of hours prior to enjoying. That said, this will be worth the wait." Vinous

"The 2013 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta is my favorite wine in the retrospective, along with the amazing 2011, 2009 and 1996 vintages. This wine was released at the beginning of this year, and because Dal Forno skipped over the 2014 vintage, this is the only Amarone we will see for a while (until the highly anticipated 2015 is released). The 2013 vintage is characterized by a slightly more streamlined mouthfeel (which isn't saying much given the baseline enormity of these wines) with carefully etched aromas of black cherry, rum cake, dark chocolate and toasted espresso. The 2013 vintage was balanced overall without the sudden heat waves we saw in the summers of 2011 and 2012. The grapes finished a slow and steady ripening process over an extended growing season. The effect is graceful and focused. Put this bottle aside in your cellar for the decades to come." Robert Parker

"A richly pungent red, with smoke and forest floor notes on the nose transitioning to a well-knit range of baked black cherry, bay leaf and dried fig flavors, with a touch of espresso. Full-bodied and dense, with the fine-grained tannins holding sway on the long, minerally finish." Wine Spectator

Text folgt in Kürze. SUPERIORE.DE

"Almost impenetrably deep, purple ruby. Intensely brooding, savoury fruit. Richly concentrated and intense, but not overpoweringly so. Richly tannic while all falls into place on the finish. Long, balanced and endless, really." Jancis Robinson

"Rich, with aromatic herb and tarry smoke notes, this silky, supple red is framed by mouthwatering acidity and dusty tannins. Shows ripe and concentrated flavors of date, sun-dried cherry, forest floor and ground spice, displaying a sense of harmony and density that suggests a long future. The finish echoes the spice and sweet fruit character." Wine Spectator

"The 2009 Amarone della Valpolicella is one of the most sexy, open-knit young Dal Forno Amarones I can remember tasting. An enticing mélange of mocha, black cherry, bittersweet chocolate and leather captivates the senses. Incredibly open today, the 2009 can be enjoyed with minimal cellaring or aged for twenty years, perhaps beyond. Although the 2009 doesn't quite reach the heights of the truly epic vintages here, it comes very close and will provide considerable pleasure sooner than many of those wines. I don't think I have ever tasted a young Dal Forno Amarone with this much allure." Vinous

"A remarkable vintage, with an early spring and very warm summer, producing grapes with potential sugar levels second only to 2003. As you may expect, then, this wine is bursting with plush, sweet red and black fruits; so tight and grippy as to be almost impenetrable at present. There is some cherry, herb and spirity damson towards the finish, but that really is just the tip of the iceberg." Decanter

"This is powerful and very rich with blueberries, flowers and hints of spices. Full body with velvety tannins and ripe fruits. Very beautiful and generous but not overdone. Superb." James Suckling

"The 2009 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta is a full and generous expression that delivers thick lines and robust flavors of dried blackberry, camphor ash, exotic cedar wood, licorice and tarry road pavement. This vintage saw average temperatures throughout the growing season with a few hailstorms along the way. Very dry weather led to some mild drought in July and August, with ensuing ripening and concentration of the clusters. I found this monumental wine to be irresistible when I first tasted it five years ago, and I consider it to have improved since then. This is one of the most complete and comprehensive vintages produced at Dal Forno, and it gives us an ample 360-degree view onto the might, brawn and potential of this icon wine from the Veneto. Its evolutionary track shows no sign of slowing down." Robert Parker

Drei Jahre nach der Annata bringen Romano und seine Söhne eine Kleinauflage des gleichen Jahrgangs in der Magnumflasche auf den Markt. Text folgt in Kürze. SUPERIORE.DE

"Sattes, undurchdringliches Rubin mit Violett. Sehr konzentriert und zugleich sehr fein gezeichnet in der Nase, satt nach Brombeeren, Holunderbeeren, dann auch Feigen und getrocknete Tomaten, ein Traum von Nase! In Ansatz und Verlauf sehr saftig, auch da wieder viel dunkle Beeren, zeigt sich auch frisch und saftig, viele Schichten von feinmaschigem Tannin, im Finale tief und mit langem Nachhall nach dunklem Tabak." Falstaff

"Like a gymnast, this focused red shows both power and grace. Finely meshed flavors of blackberry puree, fig cake and Earl Grey tea leaf are framed by refined, dusty tannins, with a lasting finish expands on the palate with spice and smoky mineral details." Wine Spectator

"Aromas of roses and other flowers with a deep fruit intensity. Full-bodied, dense and ultra-fine with a beautiful texture. Lots of new wood now but this will amalgamate with time into the wine. Fabulous potential." James Suckling

"This was an excellent vintage in much of Italy, but unfortunately the weather was not as pleasant in this specific area of the Valpolicella. The season saw a lot of rain, and a good amount of fruit was cut and left on the ground because it could not be used. Considering these difficulties, Michele Dal Forno tells me he is "more than happy with the results." I tasted the 2010 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta next to the 2009 vintage, and having these two wines side by side reinforces just how different they are. The 2010 vintages is sharper, more pointed and direct in comparison, and there is a tiny point of sourness on the close. This wine does not reach the same threshold for fullness, density or richness. It does come close. The wine's residual sugar measures between 5 and 6 grams per liter, which is normal for this wine, and the bouquet is redolent of familiar black fruit, raisin and spice." Robert Parker

Drei Jahre nach der Annata bringen Romano und seine Söhne eine Kleinauflage des gleichen Jahrgangs in der Magnumflasche auf den Markt. Text folgt in Kürze. SUPERIORE.DE

"Very dark fruits on the nose with hints of bark and dried flowers. Full body, soft and silky tannins with a chewy finish. Loads of dark chocolate and berry. Flavorful and balanced." James Suckling

"Sweet smoke, Asian five-spice powder and cacao accents mix with crème de cassis, cured tobacco and anise notes in this seamless, full-bodied red. A dense and concentrated version, with a long, savory finish firmed by supple, well-knit tannins." Wine Spectator

"The 2011 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta is an incredible wine that has magically managed to maintain the fresh acidity associated with the cooler part of the growing season. It also shows the inky black concentration and ripeness that is reflective of the hottest part of the summer. I am impressed by the tannic management, as the wine is silky and fine at this young stage; however, the underlying structure promises a long aging future, should you chose to put your bottle aside. Overall, this vintage is slightly more accessible and ready to drink if you don't have the patience for cellar aging." Robert Parker

"The strongest wine in my selection, yet this magnificent Amarone’s alcohol is barely visible thanks to its astonishing depth, texture and sumptuousness. Pressed black fruits seep with fruit essences; smoke and cinders; herbal complexities; teasing floral notes, all engraved into a palate that expresses creamy finesse but without a trace of superfluous fat, heat or obviousness. Beautifully crafted, as dignified as any grand Barolo." Decanter