Dal Forno Romano - Amarone della Valpolicella « Monte Lodoletta » 2018

Druvor

60% Corvina, 15% Croatina, 10% Corvinone, 10% Oseleta & 5% Rondinella

Tasting note

The Dal Forno Romano 2018 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta shows similar intensity and complexity compared to the 2019 vintage, but these remain two very different wines at the end of the day. The 2018 vintage shows extra fruit ripeness and even some jammy flavors with cherry confit and blackberry coulis. The tannins also appear softer (comparatively, although we are still talking about a Dal Forno Amarone—probably the wine with the biggest tannins I taste from Italy). That velvety structural texture gives this wine a more accessible approach, although the wine's ideal drinking window remains a far way off. The 2018 delivers pretty floral aromas of rose or dried lavender that seem specific to this vintage with a hot summer and cooler harvest conditions. This wine will be released in 2025.

Vintner Romano Dal Forno has handed over most winery responsibilities to his son Marco. His other two sons, Luca and Michele, have transitioned over to the newly acquired Comaroto property that is also based in Illasi. For all practical purposes, Marco has been running the family estate since 2020. 

There have been a few winemaking tweaks under Marco's guide. "In terms of production, I want to maintain the same style that we achieved in the past. Since the 2016 and 2019 vintages, I have looked for more precision in our fruit. I want to keep the same structure of the wine, but I would like it to be more accessible," he says. 

Since the 2011 vintage, the Dal Forno family has fermented to dryness except for the 2017 vintage (with 2.1 grams per liter of residual sugar in the Amarone) and the 2016 vintage (with 0.6 grams per liter, which is practically nothing). Before 2011, the estate's Amarone could see as much as six to seven grams per liter of residual sugar. 

"To achieve phenolic ripeness without excess sugar means producing half a kilo of fruit per vine," says Marco. "Canopy management and choosing which side of the row to pull leaves is very important." 

Marco has developed his own sustainability protocols. Since 2010, the estate has worked with an in-house specialist who monitors the ecosystem of insects in the vineyards. The insects' behavior determines which parcels need pin-point treatments. The aim is to achieve better balance in the vineyards, but to also maintain the personality of the vintage. 

The drying room for appassimento contains 48 rows of computerized ventilators. When humidity rises, the fans are programed to blow stronger and when outside conditions are dryer, the fans blow at lower speeds. The idea is to maintain a standard of 50% to 60% humidity in the appassimento hangar. 

The Valpolicella sees between 25 and 30 days of appassimento compared to 75 to 80 days for the Amarone. The Valpolicella is made with fruit from the estate's young vines, and 20+-year-old plants give fruit for the Amarone. The average age of vines for the Amarone is 40 years old. 

All winemaking is performed in vacuum-sealed, oxygen-free conditions. "If oxygen is introduced, then we have made a mistake," says Marco. 

In 2024, the winery returned to using 100% French oak for both the Valpolicella Superiore and the Amarone. From 2002 to 2010, they used 100% American oak. In 2011 and 2012, they used only French oak. But in 2013 to 2023, they settled on a combination of 50% French oak and 50% American oak for the Amarone. The Valpolicella Superiore on the other hand is 70% French oak and 30% American oak in 2019. 

Marco would like to extended cellar aging by a couple of years to allow the consumer a better experience (with more integrated tannins). In the past, the Amarone saw seven years of aging, but that will be extended to nine years. 

The 2020 vintage of Amarone will be sold in 2029 following barrel aging and five years in bottle. Marco is changing some of the oak aging regime and does not exclude a future use of used barrels or bigger oak containers, maybe even botte (unthinkable just a few years ago). 

Since the epic 2004 vintage, Dal Forno no longer makes its Recioto della Valpolicella sweet wine. 

However, there is a secretive project to release a special selection of wine with 15 years of aging (in 22-hectoliter barrel with special thick oak staves). The wine could possibility be released as an IGT, but details are scarce at this point. This special selection was put aside in 2015, 2016 and 2021.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Technical sheet

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Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG ‘Monte Lodoletta’ differs from the Valpolicella Superiore DOC ‘Monte Lodoletta’ in three key ways. First, its drying period lasts three months rather than one and a half. Second, following company philosophy, Amarone uses only grapes from vineyards over ten years old. Third, the grapes come from the estate’s most premium vineyards, selected for their superior soil and climate conditions. Apart from these distinctions, both wines share similar production and maturation methods. However, Amarone stands apart from its younger sibling with its greater power and elegance. It demonstrates superior complexity, depth, and persistence.

The wine team - Dal Forno Romano