1998 Romano Dal Forno Amarone della Valpolicella Vigneto di Monte Lodoletta
Community Tasting Note
csimm wrote:
Monday, September 27, 2021 - A very darkly postured red at first sip, giving way to beautifully sweet and deep plum, black raspberry, fig, coffee cake, black licorice, cedar chest, and unsmoked cigar notes. There is a gorgeous acidity that methodically swoops in and provides sophisticated lift to the darker-pitched core. A full and rich wine that also delivers definition and refinement. In a great spot right now with some air to allow it to stretch its legs, though I suspect this also could age for a decent clip depending on your preference for aged wines. There are certainly tertiary notes of tobacco and cedar that signal its age, but this is nowhere near tired nor ready to quit. The fruit here is flat-out delicious and savory, with a dark red raspberry streak that appears at the tail just in time to kick it up yet another notch. Everything here seems deliberate and with intent.
I admittedly don't have much experience (and even less knowledge) with Amarone. That said, this particular wine makes a super compelling demand to explore this rabbit hole further. A generous contribution to the group from our host. I felt like I needed about three solid hours and a warm fireplace to sit with this wine and do a dimly lit 20/20 interview with it... "When did you go to Yale? How did you increase your New York clientele at the firm? How long were you part of the Ugandan humanitarian mission? What issue of Men's Health were you on the cover?"
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5 comments have been posted
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Comment posted by Cyclist:
9/27/2021 3:28:00 PM - Dal Forno Amarones are absolutely incredible. Their Valpolicella is like a slightly more approachable and significantly less expensive version too (with some slightly different/shorter winemaking practices). JJ Buckley out here often has a bunch.
Comment posted by csimm:
9/28/2021 9:04:00 AM - Ya this is a whole new path of wines to explore for me. I wish I had more time with this wine without all of the other wines around it. Obviously it's on the steeper end of the price spectrum for Amarone (though its performance makes a solid case for purchasing), but I'll certainly be on the lookout for these and other siblings that might perform in a similar fashion.
Comment posted by Cyclist:
9/28/2021 12:51:00 PM - Amarone is actually what really turned me onto fine wines a while back. But yeah, in my opinion Dal Forno is the best/my favorite producer. Quintarelli is also quite good, and often even a bit more expensive, but honestly, Dal Forno outperforms for my palate. Tenuta and Bertani are also good and significantly more affordable (~$75-125 usually) but Dal Forno is just in another world. I usually end up getting a bunch of the Dal Forno Valpolicella Superiore, which is also in that price point, instead of other less expensive producers these days. Once you fall for Forno, there's no turning back.
Comment posted by csimm:
9/28/2021 2:13:00 PM - Never were truer words spoken... Indeed, once you fall for certain producers, it is impossible to go in reverse. Sure you can't (or at least I can't) pop these every day, so ya gotta find other wines to play with that don't, for example, make you miss a mortgage payment, but some are the best for good reason. I kinda hated that I liked this wine as much as I did! :)
Comment posted by Cyclist:
9/28/2021 3:33:00 PM - Oh I definitely can't pop Dal Forno's everyday, I wouldn't mind it if I could though. It is quite comical going tasting or sharing wines with friends and then realizing at the end of the day that the wine you liked the most was also one of the the most expensive. Happens to me much too often.