Dal Forno Romano Amarone Della Valpolicella Wine Tasting

Saturday, November 7, 2020 - 07:30 PM

This Event has been read: 2152 times.

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I like best the wine drunk at the cost of others.

Diogenes the Cynic

 

 

And wines like those of Romano Dal Forno are very costly wines so it’s good if you have friends that possess these wines in their cellar.  And to that end let me just put the toe in the water and say that anyone who possesses these wines can be my friend, especially when you decide to open a bottle just call me and I will be there!

I knew Valpolicella as a simple wine, one that was the entry level into wines from this famous wine region near Verona, the home of one of the world's largest wine fairs, Vin Italy.  One smell of this wonderful elixir and I was hooked, the bouquet of dried flowers, meats, that dark chocolate and a unique clay like minerality that complimented the liqueur like red cherry fruit was complex and layered.  I remember thinking of what an interesting wine this was, and it was like nothing that I had ever had before from Valpolicella or anywhere else.  Dal Forno Romano has a unique style, and it is the polar opposite to my other favorite producer Giuseppe Quintarelli.  Dal Forno Romano dries his grapes for a shorter period of time and therefor his wines are less sweet and he ages them in small French barrique giving them that extra spice and complexity you get from new oak.  If you like Amarone this is one of the top producers and you should not leave this earth without trying Dal Forno Romano’s wines.

The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $325 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.

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Dal Forno Romano - The Kings of Amarone della Valpolicella Tasting at Wine Watch
Saturday November 7th
7:30 PM
2013 Dal Forno Romano Valpolicella Superiore
2012 Dal Forno Romano Valpolicella  Superiore
2011 Dal Forno Romano Valpolicella Superiore

2004 Dal Forno Romano Amarone della Valpolicella
2006 Dal Forno Romano Amarone Della Valpolicella
2008 Dal Forno Romano Amarone Della Valpolicella
2009 Dal Forno Romano Amarone della Valpolicella
2011 Dal Forno Romano Amarone della Valpolicella
2012 Dal Forno Romano Amarone della Valpolicella
2013 Dal Forno Romano Amarone Della Valpolicella

2004 Dal Forno Romano Vigna Sere (375ml)

Menu:
Selection of Cheese and Charcuterie
Blue cheese and bacon quiche
Amarone Risotto with White Truffle
Amarone Braised beef cheeks with smoked bacon and root vegetable hash
Chocolate Bark

The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $325 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or call 954-523-9463.  Please let us know when you make your reservations if you have any dietary restrictions and Chef Toni will be happy to accommodate you.

A bit about Dal Forno Romano:
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A few years ago the last day of the Vinitaly we left early to go see one of the producers that does not show his wines at the fair- Romano Dal Forno.   We just happened to be doing a tasting with this producers wine in a few weeks after my return, so I was anxious to learn more about this producer from the horse’s mouth.

Although Romano’s wines have become some of the most sought after in all of Italy, there are not many people that know a lot about them, many people believe that he was a pupil of the great Giuseppe Quintarelli.  Well it is true that Dal Forno is a good friend of Quintarelli and that it was Giuseppe’s passion for winemaking that inspired Romano to get into the wine business, however he never worked for Quintarelli like so many wine experts have claimed.  Romano’s family had been land owners in Valpolicella for several generations and they owned vineyards, but they had always sold their grapes to other producers.  Romano never went to enology school, he is a self taught winemaker, his first vintage was 1983 and over the course of the next few he quickly became one of the rising stars of this area.

His approach to making Amarone is very different from Quintarelli and collectors usually will like one or the other rather than both.  Quintarelli dries his grapes for upwards of six months before crushing them.  This causes the resulting wines to be rather sweet in style.  Romano prefers the taste of dryer wines so he only leaves his grapes to dry for one to two months, thus the resulting wines are fairly dry in style.

When you walk down to the cellar, the stairs are made of white marble tile that has been tumbled so that the surface is not slippery, everything that Romano does is well thought out, he is a perfectionist and it shows in his cellar and in his wines.  The brick work on the ceilings of the cellar is a mosaic and really makes the cellar one of the most attractive that you will encounter.  The barrles are stained in the centers so you will not notice the drippings from topping off.  It seems like every little detail has been thought out.

His greatest recent vintages are:  1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, and the 2004 which is still in barrique.  The Valpolicella is one of the most concentrated and rich that you will encounter and is rich enough that it could be mistaken for Amarone.  The magical elixir, Recioto was declassified in 2003 because it failed the tasting panel from the DOC and will from this vintage on be simply entitled late harvest with the name of the vineyard, Vigna Sere.  There are two tests that Valpolicella, Amarone and Recioto have to pass before they are allowed to carry the DOC title.  One is a chemical analysis that measures both the sugar content and the grape varietals.  The second is a physical tasting that the DOC panel conducts to ensure that the wine resembles the style of wines that are produced in this area.  The Recioto in 2003 passed the chemical analysis but the tasting panel failed this wine for being to astringent, this may have angered Dal Forno as he stated that this wine will no longer be submitted for DOC status.

We were like kids in a candy store during our visit as the exuberant wine producer showed us his newest wines that were still in barrique.  Romano is very passionate about his wines and you could tell that he was glad to have a group of his fans in his home to learn more about what makes this producers wines so unique.

His journey stared with the 1983 vintage and every vintage he has continued to improve his wines by making progress in the vineyard as well as developing new techniques in the winery.  He began a complete renovation and expansion of the winery in 2005 and it was completed by the end of 2007 just in time for the harvest.  One of the things that he stresses is cleanliness.  Some producers of Amarone like to have a bit of "Noble Rot" in their wines.  Romano feels that there is nothing noble about rot, therefore he goes to every extreme to ensure that there is none in his cellar.  The new facility has a series of fans to circulate the air in the cellar so there is very little moisture, which is one of the largest contributors to the formation of mold in the cellar.

Any great producer will tell you that great wine is made in the vineyard and Dal Forno is no exception to this rule.  Dal Forno spends a lot of time tending his vines and has planted several new acres of vines to increase the size of his production which now hovers at around 20,000 cases of the four wines. 

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2013 Dal Forno Romano Valpolicella
Price: $109.50    Your Price: $96.36

2013 began with a cold and quite rainy winter. Heavy rainfalls continued through mid-June. Bud breakage began on April 20, with flowering taking place the end of May. The season proceeded quite regularly, without major events and most importantly without any stress for the vines. There was no hail the entire year, which is uncommon for the region. The temperature remained high through mid-August, eventually tapering off to a range for better maturation without reducing acidity on the grapes. Harvest started the second week of September. Prime weather conditions during this period allowed for the grapes to be carefully picked. It is for these reasons we can say 2013 is an excellent vintage in the Valpolicella.

Blend: 70% Corvina and Corvina grossa, 20% Rondinella, 5% Croatina, and 5% Oseleta

2012 Dal Forno Romano Valpolicella
Price: $109.50    Your Price: $96.36

(97 points) A decadent nose of treacle tart, chocolate, tar ... black fruit ... ash and licorice. A dense, layered mouthfeel makes for a full-bodied palate that's explosive yet somehow so refined and pretty all at the same time. The finish goes on and on ..."  James Suckling, October 20, 2017 James Suckling

2011 Dal Forno Romano Valpolicella Superiore
Price: $109.50    Your Price: $96.36
(93 Points)  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's Wine Advocate

 

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2004 Dal Forno Amarone della Valpolicella
Price: $495.00    Your Price: $435.60          Quantity in Stock: 2

(98 Points) The 2004 Amarone della Valpolicella is one of the most monumental young wines I have ever tasted. This is an especially silky, elegant Amarone from Dal Forno that avoids the heaviness of some previous vintages. Blackberry jam, crushed rocks, minerals, violets, new leather and bittersweet chocolate are some of the nuances that emerge over time. This is every bit as majestic as it was every time I tasted it from barrel over the last few years. The silky, exceptionally polished tannins make the 2004 approachable today, but the wine will be even better in a few years. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2029. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

2006 Dal Forno Amarone Della Valpolicella
Price: $461.25    Your Price: $405.90

Lots of dark cherry liqueur like fruit, sweet tobacco spice and dark coco notes some of that play dough like clay minerality that defines Valpolicella, some graphite and toasty oak, very rich and opening up nicely as this wine gets more air.  Thick and chewy on the tongue but with great freshness through the finish, very fresh and lively even though this wine is 17% alcohol, lots of sweet cherry liqueur like fruit with bitter chocolate notes.  Finish 50+     Most Excellent +

2008 Dal Forno Amarone Della Valpolicella
Price: $396.00    Your Price: $348.48

(96 Points) Production was skipped over in 2007 due to extreme hail damage. The fruit that would normally be destined to Amarone went to the lower tier Valpolicella Superiore instead. The 2008 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta marks a return to a slightly cooler vintage with a longer growing season slowed down during the summer's moderate temperatures. Indeed, harvest was wrapped up during the first days of November. The blend is mostly Corvina, at about 60%, with smaller parts Corvinone, Rondinella, Croatina and Oseleta. The new Dal Forno winery was finished in 2008, complete with the unique vacuum-sealed fermentation tasks that help to avoid any intrusive oxygen during winemaking. Indeed, this wine is balanced and elegant with fruit that is still crunchy and very much alive. The tannins are firm and nicely integrated into the wine's thick, fleshy consistency. This vintage is characterized by a very elegant and graceful approach, which must be taken into context given the enormity of a wine of this caliber. Happily, there is no doubt that this vintage should still evolve steadily over time. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

2009 Dal Forno Romano Amarone della Valpolicella
Price: $396.00    Your Price: $348.48

(99 Points) The Dal Forno family considered the idea of releasing their Amarone ten years after the harvest. If that plan had been implemented, this would be the vintage on the market now. 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's Wine Advocate

2011 Dal Forno Romano Amarone della Valpolicella
Price: $411.75    Your Price: $362.34

(97 Points) This is a real bruiser of a wine, and it marks the first of three excellent back-to-back vintages (2011, 2012 and 2013). The growing season was full of surprises and many farming decisions had to be made at the spur of the moment. The 2011 growing season started off cool, but there was an explosion of heat in mid-August that remained intense until a final cooling period at harvest. Fruit ripening had been behind schedule, but that August heat helped to pick up the pace. (By the way, this is also the year Michele Dal Forno got married). 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's Wine Advocate

2012 Dal Forno Amarone della Valpolicella
Price: $411.75    Your Price: $362.34

(96 Points) The 2012 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta is a beautifully complete wine, even at this young stage in its life. You feel the youth of the wine in the tightness of the tannins and in the finely knit texture of its concentrated flavor profile. The big surprise is the wine's fresh acidity that has been carefully safeguarded despite the heat of the vintage and the drying process so deftly executed at this landmark estate. The wine shows no sign of oxidation or evolution, not yet. There is intricate fruit layering with cherry, blackberry, spice and mesquite delivered with such precision, that level of detail defies the very bold and opulent essence of the wine. It has only just started its evolutionary journey. - Monica Larner  Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, September 2019

2013 Dal Forno Amarone Della Valpolicella
Price: $411.75    Your Price: $362.34

(98 Points) 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's Wine Advocate

2004 Dal Forno Romano Vigna Sere (375ml)
Price: $237.00    Your Price: $208.56

(99 Points) The 2004 Passito Rosso Vino Dolce Vigna Seré (500-mililiter) 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.