Dal Forno Romano Amarone della Valpolicella DOC 2015
(Veneto, Italy) - [JS 100] [VM 98] [WA 97] [WS 96]

About the winery:
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.

About This Wine:
Subtle aromatic hints, that range from black cherry, blueberry to chocolate, anticipate the opulent expression of mature fruit that flows into the mouth with inadvertent persistence. Nuances of truffle, tobacco and new leather wrap around the finish.

It is a wine with undiscovered potential, but whose depth leaves one hoping that it has a very long development ahead of it.

Vintage Report

The 2015 vintage will certainly be stored and remembered by the Romano Dal Forno winery as one of the most “exceptional”. Starting with that final quality of the grapes harvested and the wines obtained, we can easily say that 2015 was one of the most important vintages we had. The season on the whole alternated dramatic moments with others that were truly idea for the vines.

• Elevation: 290–390 meters (951–1,280 feet)
• Exposure: South facing
• Density: 12,800 vines/hectare (5,182 vines/acre)
• Training: Guyot
• Soil: Originate from alluvial plains; composed of 70% gravel, 15% silt, and 15% clay
• Varietal Composition: 60% Corvina, 20% Rondinella, 10% Oseleta, and 10% Croatina
• Alcohol: 16.5%

Ratings & Reviews

100 Points - James Suckling:
"This is black as pitch in the glass and, yes, there’s a light, tarry edge to the super-concentrated prune, date and currant fruit. But even more interesting are the complex notes of bitter-orange liqueur, aged balsamic, fresh roasting herbs, cinnamon, roasted chestnuts, black tea and licorice. The more you decant in advance, the more nuances will emerge. It’s full-boded with huge concentration and lots of chewy tannin that is managing to hold the fruit back for now. This needs plenty of time to develop in the bottle. Just superb. One of the greatest Dal Forno’s ever." (July 2021)

98 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2015 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta is deep and rich in the glass, slowly opening with autumnal spices, crushed violets, cocoa and custard. While dark and inward on the nose, it’s wonderfully open and finessed on the palate, with a pure mix of red berries and savory spices under an air of rosy inner florals. Through it all, tension builds as tannins saturate, leaving the palate drenched in primary concentration. The 2015 is incredibly long and in need of many years in the cellar to fully evolve. The balance of ripeness, structure and acid here creates a totally harmonious and classic expression. Do not pass up on this sleeping giant of an Amarone. In 2015, production was down by 45% due to hail, and the final wine finished at only one gram of residual sugar per liter." - Eric Guido (Apr 2022)

97 Points - Wine Advocate:
"The ultimate statement wine from northern Italy is the 2015 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta. The Dal Forno family skipped over the 2014 vintage, and this sunny vintage is worth the wait. Monte Lodoletta is always incredibly high in terms of fruit weight and tannins, but this edition from 2015 appears more integrated in terms of concentration and softer in terms of structure; it's not that the wine is more accessible. It will hold the line for years and decades to come and promises to age gracefully. This vintage is instead more fleshed out and open-knit. The bouquet peels back with thick layers of black fruit, spice, campfire embers and toasted coffee bean. It's an expensive bottle for collectors, but you get lots of bang for your buck." - Monica Larner (Dec 2021)

96 Points - Wine Spectator:
"A rich red, with good tension and energy, displaying tightly meshed flavors of blackberry preserves, fig cake, espresso crema and singed sage coiled around a core of dense but fine tannins. Tea leaf, smoky earth and mineral notes chime on the long and chewy finish. Corvina, Rondinella, Oseleta and Croatina. Best from 2025 through 2045. 1,350 cases made, 250 cases imported.” - Alison Napjus (June 2022)