DOC(G): Valpolicella
Amarone della Valpolicella
Recioto della Valpolicella
About the Producer:
Romano Dal Forno
is Veneto's 'Grape King' and also one of the kings of Amarone,
Italy's great 'Monster' wine. This bold statement ignites the debate:
Dal Forno or Quintarelli, who makes the better wine? Both produce
world-class cellar wines, and at this level it’s a taster’s
preference: do you like Dal Forno’s modern, hedonistic expression
of the ancient grapes or the austere, rustic style of sire Guiseppe
Quintarelli? The one sure thing is that these two are in a superior
class all to themselves. Both produce “revelation” wines
– the kind that will change how you look beneath the colors
in a glass.
The great richness of Dal Forno's wines is derived from the extremely
low yields of this artisan's 12.5-hectare estate outside the Classico
zone. His dense, creamy Valpolicella is among the best of the Veneto,
and his 'Nettare' is part of the comeback of garganega, the grape
behind Soave that we find here formally dressed as a white passito
dessert wine. In fact, all of his are "experience" wines,
transporting you to a new level of wine appreciation.
MORE ON DAL FORNO:
"Romano Dal Forno is a local legend. The rest of us take vacations,
occasionally play a round of golf in the afternoons," said a
major Veneto- wine producer, "But not Dal Forno. He works every
day. He not only knows every bunch in his vineyards - he knows every
grape!"
Romano started selling his wines commercially in 1983. He owns 7.5
hectares and farms an additional 7.5 hectares." --Patricia Guy,
"Amarone"
All of the Dal Forno wines are "experience" wines, transporting
you to a new level of wine appreciation. Nonetheless, in our opinion,
Romano reaches his pinnacle in his expressions of Valpolicella. Without
doubt, his dense, creamy Valpolicella wines are the best of the Veneto
- trumping even those of the great Giuseppe Quintarelli.
1998 Valpolicella
Ruby red with powerful aromas of crushed raspberry, cherry, licorice
and mint. Very dense and velvety, yet at the same time well-defined
and penetrating. The rather heady alcohol manages to come across as
balanced given the wine has so much stuffing. Complex and layered.
1997 Amarone
Deep ruby red with a core marked by purple-black flecks. Ultra-ripe
aromas of prune and raisin are accompanied by roasted hazelnut. Underlying
mineral, licorice and espresso flavors add layers of interest on the
palate. Expansive and rich, this wine comes through with plenty of
supporting acidity. Accordingly, these wines finish very long, with
the fine tannins lingering.
1997 Recioto
1994 Recioto
After air-drying the grapes for six months on straw mats, this wine
was fermented and aged in 100% new French oak. This is THE epitome
of this distinctly Italian style of wine. It is off-dry rather than
sweet and displays a dark garnet hue. The enchanting nose fills the
glass with prunes, over-ripe plums, toasted bread, smoke and chocolate.
Very full-bodied and voluptuous.
1995 Nettare
A white passito dessert wine of heavenly nature. Unctuous layers of
tropical fruits unfold into pools of floral-toned honey. A stand-out
experience.
Featured Wine(s): Dal
Forno Amarone della Valpolicella
Dal Forno Valpolicella Superiore
Dal Forno Recioto della Valpolicella
Dal Forno Nettare
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Producer:
Romano
Dal Forno 