Dal Forno Romano - Amarone della Valpolicella 2008

The Dal Forno family has been making wine since 1983. Located in Val D’Illasi, the estate consists of 65 acres of vines planted to traditional indigenous varieties of Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Oseleta and Croatina. The estate vineyards and farm are located where the slopes begin to rise toward the mountains and sit 1,000 feet above sea level. The loose, alluvial soils, meticulous pruning and scrupulous viticultural techniques ensure remarkable-quality grapes. The Dal Fornos use traditional methods to grow the finest fruit, and then employ modern techniques to produce the best wines — classic in expression and modern in purity. Dal Forno Romano is well-known for a number of superior wines that range from the region’s famous Valpolicella and Amarone to unique bottlings such as Vigne Seré, a passito dessert-style wine.

"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." - 95 points, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

"This is a lighter, more elegant style from Dal Forno, reflecting the cooler vintage conditions in 2008. The juicy palate is balanced by a wonderful level of structure, with slightly generic but ripe plum and hedgerow fruit with violet lift. A textural mid-palate leads onto a creamy cherry fruit finish. Drinking Window 2018 - 2040." - 94 points, Decanter

Producer: Dal Forno Romano

Country: Italy

Region: Veneto

Varietal:  Corvina, Rondinella, Oseleta, Croatina

Appellation: Amarone della Valpolicella

Vintage: 2008

Size: 750ml