The best bunches from vines older than ten years, are set aside for drying and producing Amarone. Strength, energy and elegance. A combination that symbolizes the Dal Forno Romano Philosophy.
The unique complexity of this wine is such that merely describing it as a “meditation wine” falls well short of the mark.
Its scent is a masterpiece, its taste a work of art. Vanilla. Sour black cherries. Blueberries. Chocolate. Truffle, tobacco and leather.
Amarone is a delight in its own right. However, it will be a classy complement to any game meat dish.
HARVEST TIME: From 20th September to 25th October, the finest bunches of grapes are selected, after which a meticulous manual control is carried out to eliminate all grapes that do not meet the standards required. The selected grapes are then placed in plastic plateaux and are then left to rest for three months in large open rooms, where an innovative ventilation system helps maintain an elevated and thorough air flow.
BLEND OF GRAPES: 60% Corvina, 20% Rondinella, 10% Oseleta, 10% Croatina. The grapes destined for use in the production of Amarone are only harvested from vines that have a minimum of 10 years of age.
PRESSING: Pressing usually occurs in the middle of December after a further manual control of each bunch of grapes has been carried out, in order to remove any grape that has been damaged during the months of the drying process.
FERMENTATION: Fermentation takes place in steel tanks at a controlled temperature of around 28°, which are equipped with a sophisticated computerised system which allows for automated punching for a period of around 15 days, including the final maceration which takes two days.
AGING: After decantation in the middle of January, the Amarone, which still contains some residual sugars, is placed into new barriques, where it begins a slow fermentation process which will last for a further 18 months. The total amount of time that it remains in the barriques is 24 months.
BOTTLING: The final phase of the production process, which takes place once assembly of the barriques has finished and mass filtration has been obtained. The wine is bottled and left to age for a further 36 months before the final product is ready for sale.
AMARONE 2009 – Wine Spectator
Voto: 94
Reviewer: Alison Napjus
Data premiazione: 30-set-15
“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. Drink now through 2029. ”
AMARONE 2010 – Wine Spectator
Voto: 95
Reviewer: Alison Napjus
Data premiazione: 31-ott-16
“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. Drink now through 2030. ”
AMARONE 2009 – Wine Advocata
Voto: 97
Reviewer: Monica Larner
Data premiazione: 29-dic-14
“I’m not sure how anyone can resist a wine like the 2009 Amarone della Valpolicellla Monte Lodoletta. It would be impossible to exaggerate the enormity of this wine. Romano Dal Forno has his critics, of course: Some people find his wines exaggerated and too big to drink. They have a point, but you can not doubt the sheer quality of winemaking that goes behind this monumental wine. Dal Forno’s Amarone is a message of optimism that speaks to the infinite possibilities that can be achieved with a simple fruit like the grape. The decadent and layered bouquet offers slow pulses of black fruit, tar, teriyaki, mesquite and prune. The wine wraps like a thick blanket over the palate. This beautiful bottle should be aged ten more years.”
AMARONE 2010 – Wine Advocata
Voto: 98
Reviewer: Monica Larner
Data premiazione: 31-mag-17
“This is a deeply communicative and articulate wine that boasts immense power and persistence. The 2010 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta is a creation of enormous beauty and unflinching intensity. The wine speaks at loud volumes with black cherry, spice, tarry smoke, barbecue marinade and grilled rosemary. Those balsam notes add length and continuity to the bouquet. In the mouth, the wine is complete and penetrating. It wraps thickly over the palate to soothe and entice your taste buds. Yet there is enough crispness to keep it from feeling cloying or too heavy. There is a point of tannic astringency on the finish that will accompany this wine over the next decade of its aging evolution. For that reason, it’s best to wait before popping the cork on this memorable vinous experience.”
AMARONE 2011 – Wine Advocata
Voto: 96
Reviewer: Monica Larner
Data premiazione: 31-mag-17
“The 2011 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta is another extreme wine from Romano Dal Forno and his family. It is almost impossible to wrap your head around the intensity and richness that is so expertly delivered by this monumental wine. The bouquet is sweet and heavy with luscious tones of black fruit, prune, dried rose bud, cherry liqueur, spice and tarry asphalt. The wine oozes forth with impactful thickness and generosity. Rather than a companion to a meal, this wine is a meal in itself. It goes over and beyond traditional Amarone. This was a hot vintage, but the brunt of the heat came towards the middle/end of the growing season, followed by cooler temperatures at harvest.”
AMARONE 2009 – Jancis Robinson
Voto: 17+
Reviewer: Walter Spelling
Data premiazione: 3-mar-15
“Impenetrable, deep ruby. Brooding Mon Chéri chocolate and dark pepper nose infused with soft oak notes. A very modern, completely dry style of Amarone with bags of concentration, but the acidity is well judged, adding energy, and it will get more complex with bottle age. Firmly tannic on the finish and not for the shy, nor for the poor.”
AMARONE 2011 – Jancis Robinson
Voto: 17,5
Reviewer: Walter Spelling
Data premiazione: 6-mar-17
“Impenetrable, dark cardinal red. Enormous, concentrated sweet-sour cherry nose with malty notes. Bitter, stalky tannins framing the fruit. Intense, long and with amazing balance even if the tannins on the finish are quite dominant and the alcohol is 17%. This will need time (but I am told that the Valpolicella is much less pronto, and the Amarone ‘gia morbido’[already soft]). ”
AMARONE 2009 – Vinous
Voto: 95
Reviewer: Antonio Galloni
Data premiazione: lug-15
“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.”
AMARONE 2010 – Vinous
Voto: 92
Reviewer: Ian D’Agata
Data premiazione: mag-17
“Moderately saturated ruby-red. Dark plums, botanical herbs, and sweet pipe tobacco on the perfumed nose. Then ripe, dense and suave, with nicely focused dark plum and spicy flavors. The finish is very long, refine and pure. This is slightly lighter in style than usual for a Dal Forno Amarone, but is very much in the style of the 2010 vintage; I love this wine’s balance and lighter-bodied than usual personality. A blend of 55% Corvina, 15% Rondinella, 15% Croatina, 10% Oseleta, and 5% Corvinone, the Croatina adds flesh and sweetness to the final blend, while the Oseleta and Corvinone provide backbone. Romano Dal Forno told me he was both surprised and very happy with this wine, as initially he didn’t think he’d be able to make Amarone at all in the difficult 2010 vintage. In ultimate analysis, this is a lovely wine that offers relatively early appeal for a Dal Forno Amarone.”
AMARONE 2011 – Vinous
Voto: 95+
Reviewer: Ian D’Agata
Data premiazione: mag-17
“Fully saturated ruby. Very deep, intense aromas of blackcurrant, plums macerated in alcohol, soy sauce, coffee and underbrush on the complex nose. Rich, dense and balanced, with nicely focused flavors of dark berries and aromatic herbs that have a noteworthy savory tang. The long finish features repeating hints of soy sauce, espresso and underbrush. Dal Forno’s is the recognized master of a uniquely powerful, ripe, and concentrated style of Amarone.”
AMARONE 2009 – Wine & Spirits
Voto: 93
Reviewer: Stephanie Johnson
Data premiazione: ott-16
“This inky black wine is so dense and chewy it feels more like a meal than a beverage. Intense flavors roll out in waves of soft black fruit, dried tomato, charred meat and tobacco. The wine underwent a long fermentation, starting in stainless steel tanks for about two weeks and continuing in new barriques for 18 months, gaining a luscious texture and rich tones of dark chocolate, anise and cardamom. Those flavors run into a wall of tannins right now, needing at least a decade in the cellar to mellow.”
AMARONE 2009 – International Wine Report
Voto: 98
Reviewer: Joe D’Angelo
Data premiazione: ott-15
“The 2009 Romano Dal forno Amarone is another magical effort from this prestigious estate. Dal Forno clearly has the reputation as one of very best producers in the region and their 2009 Amarone is just another example of the high quality wine being produced. This blend of blend of Corvina, Rondinella, Oseleta and Croatina is dense and powerful with intense aromas of black cherry reduction and blackberries woven together with spices, dark chocolate, violets and sweet pipe tobacco resin, which all come together beautifully in this seductive Amarone. On the palate this possesses remarkable concentration and depth with layer upon layer of ripe fruits cascading onto the long mouth coating finish. The 2009 will demand some extended cellaring, but it is ultimately another remarkable wine to add to the long list of legendary Amarone from the Dal Forno family. ”
AMARONE 2010 – International Wine Report
Voto: 99
Reviewer: Joe D’Angelo
Data premiazione: mag-17
“The 2010 Amarone della Valpolicella from Dal Forno is a truly majestic wine and may ultimately be one of the most successful wines to ever come from this iconic estate in Val D’Illasi. When it comes to Amarone, Dal Forno is a benchmark, using traditional methods in the vineyard, and modern techniques in the cellar to achieve the highest quality. Dal Forno only selects the finest bunches, in this vintage the Amarone includes 60% Corvina, 20% Rondinella, 10% Croatina, 10% Oseleta. The selected grapes are then placed in plastic plateaux and are then left to rest for 90 days in large open rooms, where an innovative ventilation system helps maintain an elevated and thorough air flow. The fruit, which still contains some residual sugar, is then placed into new barriques, where it begins a slow fermentation process, which will last for a further 18 months. The total amount of time that it remains in the barriques is 36 months. The end result is an absolutely stunning wine, which flirts with the limits of perfection as it displays a pitch dark color and offers seductive and incredibly complex aromatics of black cherries, blackberries, ripe mission figs, black winter truffles, dark chocolate, violets with traces of leather and tobacco all taking shape. While the aromatics are intoxicating, the most impressive feature in this full-bodied red is its remarkable balance and structure. This possesses a gorgeous velvety, polished texture and awe-inspiring depth and concentration, which is backed by core of underlying minerality resulting in the perfect median between raw power and sheer class. Everything comes together seamlessly on the long, multidimensional finish, which lingers on, leaving a lasting impression. While this is already completely fascinating, patience will be a virtue, as this age-worthy Amarone will thrive in the cellar for decades to come.”
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