Closed up tight upon opening. Opened up nicely after a three hour decant, showing lovely dark fruit profile. Deep garnet color. No purple, though - I don't think I've ever seen such a dark garnet color. Medium- acidity and medium elegant tannins. Very easy drinking, maybe a little too easy - I wish it had a little more acidic zip. But still a very nice offering. Will be interested to see how my other bottles evolve and what impact food pairings have.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine just doesn't want to age...it's almost identical to what it was 10 years ago...incredible. Still has a big tannic structure, with an exuberant nose and palate of flower, sour candies, blackberries and leather. Always very impressive...you just need to like wines that are larger than life. I never tried his Amarone, but it must be HUUUUGE. Talking about his Amarone, here's an interesting fact. Dal Forno hasn't produced an Amarone, so all the fruits went to the Valpolicella Superiore...maybe this is why the wine is so special.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
3/6. 2-hour decant ahead of drinking with fish n’chips. No signs of age, powerful aromas of oak, smoke and dark fruits. Lovely concentration of dark fruits on the palate, lots of tannic structure, high acidity. A well balanced wine of excellent quality with a long life ahead of it.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
2/6. Decanted for 3 hours and served with chicken casserole dinner. Deep, almost impenetrable in appearance. A year ago this was deep, tannic and smokey. A year on it is much sweeter on both the nose and palate but is still deep, concentrated and tannic with a long finish. While I preferred it a year ago, this is still a brilliant wine and it will be interesting to see how this evolves as the change from a year ago is quite marked.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark fruit, blackberry jam, chocolate, mint, and black pepper on the nose. Huge tannins and very primary on the palate with flavors of blackberries, vanilla, and plum. Quite long finish. Massive wine with significant oak influence, yet also surprisingly nuanced and interesting. Usually, this wouldn’t be my style, but I enjoyed it quite a bit.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very dark, opaque, with just the slightest hint of brown at the edge. Spicy, peppery nose. 14% alcohol but no heat. Ripe black fruit and a touch of creamy oak. Not as sweet as I expected. The fruit is definitely ripe but is not at all jammy. Plum, fig, and a little coffee. Tannins already quite soft. Good length and a dryish finish. The sense I get is that it's near peak but not quite there yet. Still, a very attractive wine now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Slow oxed for three hours. Modest nose with a little violet and herbs coming through. The palate is impressive with layers of concentrated black fruit, licorice, smoked meat and herbs coming through. Complexity has begun to develop. There isn’t any heat here and alcohol is 14 percent which is low for Venetian reds. The tannins are still quite noticeable - will they resolve with time? I thought I was drinking this at the right time but this will continue to age and it could develop into an amazing wine.
Reminds me of an Aussie Shiraz. Plum and port notes. Big, strong wine. Not hot thankfully. Drank over 6 hours of decant. Enjoyed with slow cooked BBQ ribs which was a good pairing. This wine dominates everything- it's overpowering. My palate is seeking softer more complex wines these days
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Plum/cherry notes. Decanted an hour and drank with a lamb Ravi. Complemented the heavy pasta perfectly herbal notes of eucalyptus or mint with a spicy leather finish ...delicious surprisingly for a valpolicella but my only bottle
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nicely structured that evolved over the evening over a Peking duck, Cantonese dinner. Medium bodied softness with a slight pepper taste at the back. Improved the longer in the decanter...
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for 90 minutes and served with roast lamb dinner. Deep, tannic, smokey, precise, good acidity and plenty of length on the finish. A cracking wine, both with the food and by itself later in the day.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
SAQ N° 12335369 129$ Le Valpolicella Superiore 2007 des célèbres vignobles Monte Lodoletta est solide comme le roc avec une couleur profondément noire et des arômes qui émergent avec une détermination féroce. Ce mélange aromatique fascinant dégage des notes d’épices, de prune, de cèdre, de goudron, de réglisse noire, d’herbes balsamiques et de tarte à la mûre. Avec carré d'agneau. Carafé 3 heures. Robe rubis violacée. Bouquet bien parfumé chocolaté, cerises, grains de café rotis. Moyennement intense. Bouche bien intense, tannins soyeux, fruits compotés. Excellent vin, un peu moins in you face que le Valpo de Quinta. ****
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nice potent nose of black currant, licorice. The palate is dense, packed with fruit and complex but the tannins are a bit austere- maybe decant linger? Flavors of black fruit, coffee, licorice and minerals coming through in a very full bodied but balanced palate. This would score higher except for the tannins.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Sadly we drank too early. Needs 5-10 more years. Fierce ‘angry’ tannins, under ripe dark fruits, some herbal notes, baking spices. Almost bitter on the finish though given the high tannins
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Can't keep my hands off this wine. This is delicious. Very structured, still very young with typical high quality Amarone aromas. This is very persistent on the palate and perfectly balanced. Even at this price, it's a terrific QPR. Drink or hold for another 10-15 years.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Absolutely gorgeous...the perfect balanced combination of intensity, complexity and fun. Amazing with my « steak tasting » - NY Strip wagyu from Snake River, Idaho, a Tomahawk from PEI (fed on potatoes) and a great USDA prime from Montana. This Valpolicella (many other producer would classify it as an Amarone) is out of this world...great QPR.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
One of the best wines in a blind tasting of about 2 dozen wines contributed by 13 people serious about wines. Very generously shared, as it is not only expensive but made by Dal Forno, who arguably has the reputation for making the greatest of this kind of wine, made from raisined grapes. Pitch black. Aromas of blackberry, black cherry, and black currants. Well structured by refreshing acidity and drying tannin. Very caressing, rich, layered, and concentrated, without being ponderous or cloying. Fully enjoyable anytime in the next decade.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark, deep ruby developing towards garnet. Pronounced nose of dark berries, both fresh and candied with early stages of cooked fruit development and tobacco. Rich ans luxurious palate, almost Amarone like, with both fresh, candied and dried fruit notes. Oak is well integrated and not very noticeable. I find the tannin level too high, bordering on rendering the wine imbalanced, but I give it the benefit of the doubt. A luxurious wine very far from the average Valpolicella Superiore
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
One of the finest valpolicealla I have ever drank. My first experience with Dal Forno, the wine is definitely in the over the top style, but it was not one dimensional, which contributed to its appeal. The wine has a dark personality, with dark fruit aromas of blackberry and blueberry, but also a note of cocoa powder. These flavors where echoed on the palate, along with a slight bitterness and a nice finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark red to almost purple. Not a big nose but what is there is nice. Blackberry, black cherry, fig and some plum. After decant and time its still tannic with an oak finish. Probably needs more time to be at its best
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very opaque/inky colour. The nose is medium in intensity/complexity…in fact it still seems quite young, at 10-year of age! Aromas of straw (Amarone-like), spices and dark chocolate. Tannins are still present and a bit rustic in style. Very good balance and a long finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark red towards black; smoked tobacco, licorice and tar; intense black fruit, quite tight (requires lots of air to open up), tannic slightly mouth drying ending; good wine but air and probably time
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had two bottles at a long and rich dinner Il Mulino Downtown NYC. Little expensive on the wine list, but it was a splurge dinner so we tossed away conventional thinking. Big wine of intense blackberries and anise on the nose. Full bodied and round without being too alcoholic. Nice finish that asks for another sip.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nice thick nose of camphor and earthy dark berries. Quite elegant and luscious on the palate but light on its feet and quite graceful with good acidity. Earthy cherry flavors dominate along with hints of mint and cocoa leading to a tangy, grippy finish. I really like the savory texture here and this got better and better with air. Yum.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
2017 Villa d’Este Wine Symposium - Kelly and Kevin's excellent adventure; 11/9/2017-11/14/2017 (Villa D’este, Lake Como and Milan): Expressive nose displaying intense black fruit, blackberry jam, dry fig, licorice, ink, molasses and oak. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of intense black fruit, unctuous yet silky, bright acidity, still noticeable tannins, oak tannins I suspect, that is a bit dry. There is enough fruit to last the prominent oak. It is certainly a divisive wine as it is as big as the biggest Napa cabs. Based on the aging curve of Quintarelli Valpolicella, this will need another decade or two to reach the peak.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
SLDS September 2016: Blood, chocolate, charcoal, brick and raspberry. Full power on the palate, this has a great mix of weight, texture and tannins. Intense and the brightness of the fruit still holds up against the structure. A notch up on the Quintarelli on all levels really.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A lot more tannic and younger than my previous bottles. Still as complex...it should be decanted for at least 2-3 hours. Balanced wine that should/can be cellared for another 10+ years. If you open a bottle now, have it with a big juicy steak.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Brought by a friend, and sacrificed way too young, but still a real pleasure. Rich black fruit, sweet spice and baking chocolate, as per prior notes. Needs 5+ years to round out and really shine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Unsurprisingly shut down on being opened, this blossomed beautifully after 2 hours and continued to evolve through the night. Rich black fruit, sweet spice and baking chocolate. Relatively restrained for a Dal Forno, actually, and approachable with a solid decant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bootleggers/Dal Forno tasting Sep '15: This came out first, restrained power in this guy. Burnt cherry and raspberry flavours. Still very much primary at 8 years of age. Could do with 5 more before trying again, yet very approachable now. Plenty of tannins for the long haul and balanced nicely. At present 91-92 with some upside. Though not for me at the RRP price point of $159, even with a discount offered on the night.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bootleggers Wine Tasting: Chocolate, tobacco, raspberry and smoke - quite perfumed and the longer it was in the glass, the better it seemed. Quite powerful palate, with intensity and fruit weight balanced against fairly bold tannins. Very good length and while the depth of the wine may reflect the vintage, this is no doubt extremely good anyway.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wauuv hvilken næsen. Chokolade, vanilje, varme, mørke bær. Fyldig og intens smag med dejlig prikkende alkohol, powerfull med masser af bær nærmest tyktflydende sort guld
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Black as pitch color, Extracted with rich black cherry fruit, young, with big tannin. Almost a new world finish with a touch of sweet coconut / piña colada. This has a great nose and it is a beast of a wine. A wine for those who like the enamel stripped off their teeth.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wow! What a wine. Not as tannic as previous vintages, already enjoyable, complex (floral, spicy, herbal...bam, bam, bam)...with an amazing, long finish. Thank god I have another 9 bottles waiting in the cellar (I bought one more today :)). No stress, this can easily age for another 5-8 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tuesday Night Double Blind $60+ (Bin 75): Black core with thin crimson red rim; medicinal, red cherry, menthol, tobacco, dill, sweet wood, citrus, tropical, coffee, nose is awkward; fat, rich mouthfeel, high alcohol, loads of oak and tannin, prickle, some bitter tannin, drying, bitter chocolate, intense and powerful; wow this really needs 10 more years, almost brutally young, lots of potential though, 91++.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Based on my experience with this Valpolicella, I was quite surprised to taste a Dal Forno Valpolicella that is almost ready to drink, after not even 8 years! Very intense and complex as usual, but this one is smoother and easier to drink. Always this very special floral aromas that I love. Nine more bottles to go...life is perfect!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
According to a wine merchant, 2007 Amarone was not produced, grapes are declassified to this Valpolicella, so I was curious to try this bottle. Pop and served. Dark ink color. Rich, blackberry, and smoky aroma. Intense, jammy, dried fruit, sweet tannin, very concentrated full body wine. Surprisingly drinkable at this young age and the wine opened up after 2 hrs. Should revisit in 2 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A veritable powerhouse for a Valpolicella Superiore. Double decanted for 2 hours and it still exhibited monster and grippy tannins that speak to the youth of this wine. Full bodied with touches of raisin, plum, dark flowers, sweet licorice, and a nice drying bitter note of classic Amarone.! Did I mention grippy tannin on the finish ? It should be excellent in 3-5 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted 2 hours; quite dark red; highly pleasant and inviting fruity nose with lots of sweet tones; fruity, elegant, powerful, velvety attack, light tannic bites; long dense deep aftertaste
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Herbs, raisins, prunes and raspberry flavoured black tea on the nose. Massive palate with loads of dried fruits but still a decent balance thanks to the tannins. This is not my style of wine, but objectively it's probably the best Valpolicella Superiore I've ever tasted.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
2/11/2024 - IlliniWine Likes this wine: 90 Points
Closed up tight upon opening. Opened up nicely after a three hour decant, showing lovely dark fruit profile. Deep garnet color. No purple, though - I don't think I've ever seen such a dark garnet color. Medium- acidity and medium elegant tannins. Very easy drinking, maybe a little too easy - I wish it had a little more acidic zip. But still a very nice offering. Will be interested to see how my other bottles evolve and what impact food pairings have.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/26/2023 - RayOB wrote: 90 Points
Drank at 67
Rich young and heady
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/21/2021 - Robertpthomasjr@gmail.com Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lovely wine. Changed every 15 minutes over two hours and opened beautifully!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/28/2021 - Francois Le Mouel wrote: 94 Points
This wine just doesn't want to age...it's almost identical to what it was 10 years ago...incredible. Still has a big tannic structure, with an exuberant nose and palate of flower, sour candies, blackberries and leather. Always very impressive...you just need to like wines that are larger than life. I never tried his Amarone, but it must be HUUUUGE. Talking about his Amarone, here's an interesting fact. Dal Forno hasn't produced an Amarone, so all the fruits went to the Valpolicella Superiore...maybe this is why the wine is so special.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/18/2021 - mtarrant003 Likes this wine: 92 Points
3/6. 2-hour decant ahead of drinking with fish n’chips. No signs of age, powerful aromas of oak, smoke and dark fruits. Lovely concentration of dark fruits on the palate, lots of tannic structure, high acidity. A well balanced wine of excellent quality with a long life ahead of it.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/4/2021 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Double decanted for 3 hrs, dark fruit, med. tannins, long finish; outstanding & has finally entered peak drinking, drink or hold
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/4/2021 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
A big beast of a wine just coming into its own. The last glass was the best, five hours open. Still can hold.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/30/2020 - mtarrant003 Likes this wine: 92 Points
2/6. Decanted for 3 hours and served with chicken casserole dinner. Deep, almost impenetrable in appearance. A year ago this was deep, tannic and smokey. A year on it is much sweeter on both the nose and palate but is still deep, concentrated and tannic with a long finish. While I preferred it a year ago, this is still a brilliant wine and it will be interesting to see how this evolves as the change from a year ago is quite marked.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2020 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark fruit, blackberry jam, chocolate, mint, and black pepper on the nose. Huge tannins and very primary on the palate with flavors of blackberries, vanilla, and plum. Quite long finish. Massive wine with significant oak influence, yet also surprisingly nuanced and interesting. Usually, this wouldn’t be my style, but I enjoyed it quite a bit.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/20/2020 - winesteward Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very dark, opaque, with just the slightest hint of brown at the edge. Spicy, peppery nose. 14% alcohol but no heat. Ripe black fruit and a touch of creamy oak. Not as sweet as I expected. The fruit is definitely ripe but is not at all jammy. Plum, fig, and a little coffee. Tannins already quite soft. Good length and a dryish finish. The sense I get is that it's near peak but not quite there yet. Still, a very attractive wine now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/14/2020 - mclanew Likes this wine: 93 Points
Slow oxed for three hours. Modest nose with a little violet and herbs coming through. The palate is impressive with layers of concentrated black fruit, licorice, smoked meat and herbs coming through. Complexity has begun to develop. There isn’t any heat here and alcohol is 14 percent which is low for Venetian reds. The tannins are still quite noticeable - will they resolve with time? I thought I was drinking this at the right time but this will continue to age and it could develop into an amazing wine.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
4/18/2020 - Jason W G wrote: 89 Points
Reminds me of an Aussie Shiraz. Plum and port notes. Big, strong wine. Not hot thankfully. Drank over 6 hours of decant. Enjoyed with slow cooked BBQ ribs which was a good pairing. This wine dominates everything- it's overpowering. My palate is seeking softer more complex wines these days
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/9/2020 - JR1575 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Plum/cherry notes. Decanted an hour and drank with a lamb Ravi. Complemented the heavy pasta perfectly herbal notes of eucalyptus or mint with a spicy leather finish ...delicious surprisingly for a valpolicella but my only bottle
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/10/2020 - Kavine wrote: 92 Points
Nicely structured that evolved over the evening over a Peking duck, Cantonese dinner. Medium bodied softness with a slight pepper taste at the back. Improved the longer in the decanter...
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/17/2019 - mtarrant003 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 90 minutes and served with roast lamb dinner. Deep, tannic, smokey, precise, good acidity and plenty of length on the finish. A cracking wine, both with the food and by itself later in the day.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/13/2019 - jmcnewjersey Does not like this wine:
Nothing special and definitely not worth the cost. Disappointing.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/2/2019 - Avicenne Likes this wine: 93 Points
SAQ N° 12335369 129$
Le Valpolicella Superiore 2007 des célèbres vignobles Monte Lodoletta est solide comme le roc avec une couleur profondément noire et des arômes qui émergent avec une détermination féroce. Ce mélange aromatique fascinant dégage des notes d’épices, de prune, de cèdre, de goudron, de réglisse noire, d’herbes balsamiques et de tarte à la mûre.
Avec carré d'agneau.
Carafé 3 heures.
Robe rubis violacée.
Bouquet bien parfumé chocolaté, cerises, grains de café rotis. Moyennement intense.
Bouche bien intense, tannins soyeux, fruits compotés.
Excellent vin, un peu moins in you face que le Valpo de Quinta.
****
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/22/2018 - mclanew wrote: 91 Points
Nice potent nose of black currant, licorice. The palate is dense, packed with fruit and complex but the tannins are a bit austere- maybe decant linger? Flavors of black fruit, coffee, licorice and minerals coming through in a very full bodied but balanced palate. This would score higher except for the tannins.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/7/2018 - ChristyLeighNY wrote:
Sadly we drank too early. Needs 5-10 more years. Fierce ‘angry’ tannins, under ripe dark fruits, some herbal notes, baking spices. Almost bitter on the finish though given the high tannins
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/5/2018 - Francois Le Mouel Likes this wine: 93 Points
Can't keep my hands off this wine. This is delicious. Very structured, still very young with typical high quality Amarone aromas. This is very persistent on the palate and perfectly balanced. Even at this price, it's a terrific QPR. Drink or hold for another 10-15 years.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/23/2018 - Francois Le Mouel Likes this wine: 94 Points
Absolutely gorgeous...the perfect balanced combination of intensity, complexity and fun. Amazing with my « steak tasting » - NY Strip wagyu from Snake River, Idaho, a Tomahawk from PEI (fed on potatoes) and a great USDA prime from Montana. This Valpolicella (many other producer would classify it as an Amarone) is out of this world...great QPR.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/9/2018 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very nice bottle of wine. Dark bitter fruit notes on nose and palate. Medium-full bodied, with excellent viscosity.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/8/2018 - Mossrose wrote: 95 Points
One of the best wines in a blind tasting of about 2 dozen wines contributed by 13 people serious about wines. Very generously shared, as it is not only expensive but made by Dal Forno, who arguably has the reputation for making the greatest of this kind of wine, made from raisined grapes. Pitch black. Aromas of blackberry, black cherry, and black currants. Well structured by refreshing acidity and drying tannin. Very caressing, rich, layered, and concentrated, without being ponderous or cloying. Fully enjoyable anytime in the next decade.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/17/2018 - SineQuaNon Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark, deep ruby developing towards garnet. Pronounced nose of dark berries, both fresh and candied with early stages of cooked fruit development and tobacco. Rich ans luxurious palate, almost Amarone like, with both fresh, candied and dried fruit notes. Oak is well integrated and not very noticeable. I find the tannin level too high, bordering on rendering the wine imbalanced, but I give it the benefit of the doubt. A luxurious wine very far from the average Valpolicella Superiore
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/8/2018 - Saxman1984 wrote:
One of the finest valpolicealla I have ever drank. My first experience with Dal Forno, the wine is definitely in the over the top style, but it was not one dimensional, which contributed to its appeal. The wine has a dark personality, with dark fruit aromas of blackberry and blueberry, but also a note of cocoa powder. These flavors where echoed on the palate, along with a slight bitterness and a nice finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2017 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Tobacco, nutmeg, green peppercorn, black cherry, plum, fig. Large wine, but alcohol isn’t over the top
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2017 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark red to almost purple. Not a big nose but what is there is nice. Blackberry, black cherry, fig and some plum. After decant and time its still tannic with an oak finish. Probably needs more time to be at its best
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/29/2017 - Francois Le Mouel wrote: 92 Points
Very opaque/inky colour. The nose is medium in intensity/complexity…in fact it still seems quite young, at 10-year of age! Aromas of straw (Amarone-like), spices and dark chocolate. Tannins are still present and a bit rustic in style. Very good balance and a long finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2017 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Similar to prior notes; still pretty tannic, but lovely fruit, delicious
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2017 - Miceri Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark red towards black; smoked tobacco, licorice and tar; intense black fruit, quite tight (requires lots of air to open up), tannic slightly mouth drying ending; good wine but air and probably time
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/28/2017 - Vinobc wrote: 91 Points
Very fragrant with loads of fruit and smoke. For me, the smokiness was overwhelming. Others loved it. Tons of dark fruit. Probably drank it too soon.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/18/2017 - jeanclaude wrote: 93 Points
Had two bottles at a long and rich dinner Il Mulino Downtown NYC. Little expensive on the wine list, but it was a splurge dinner so we tossed away conventional thinking. Big wine of intense blackberries and anise on the nose. Full bodied and round without being too alcoholic. Nice finish that asks for another sip.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/17/2017 - dream wrote: 92 Points
Nice thick nose of camphor and earthy dark berries. Quite elegant and luscious on the palate but light on its feet and quite graceful with good acidity. Earthy cherry flavors dominate along with hints of mint and cocoa leading to a tangy, grippy finish. I really like the savory texture here and this got better and better with air. Yum.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/10/2017 - dcwino wrote: 94 Points
2017 Villa d’Este Wine Symposium - Kelly and Kevin's excellent adventure; 11/9/2017-11/14/2017 (Villa D’este, Lake Como and Milan): Expressive nose displaying intense black fruit, blackberry jam, dry fig, licorice, ink, molasses and oak. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of intense black fruit, unctuous yet silky, bright acidity, still noticeable tannins, oak tannins I suspect, that is a bit dry. There is enough fruit to last the prominent oak. It is certainly a divisive wine as it is as big as the biggest Napa cabs. Based on the aging curve of Quintarelli Valpolicella, this will need another decade or two to reach the peak.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/25/2017 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for 2 hrs then SO'd for several more, similar to prior note, but may be a little more accessible; delicious, drink or hold
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/11/2017 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Purple. 3 oz restaurant pour. Coravin by the glass. Dark fruit, fig, cedar, ripe plum and maybe a little blackberry. Balanced and drinking well.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/10/2017 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Consistent notes. Blackberry, prune, fig, dried fruit. Earth. High octane, big over the type almost amarone style wine. Delicious.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
3/11/2017 - Kropsterapeut Likes this wine: 95 Points
Som altid en fornøjelse at drikke DFR. Så meget power, volume og på samme tid så flot struktur og kompleksitet. Skøn oplevelse
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/28/2017 - jacobg wrote: 89 Points
Amazing wine, but far too young. Give it another 10 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/14/2017 - Ekopa Likes this wine: 85 Points
Мощное, с ароматами темного ягодного варенья
Тем не менее сбалансированное на вкус. Во вкусе есть не биологические нотки (уголь, пыль)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/2/2016 - andrewdodd86 wrote: 96 Points
Dark blackberry, fig/prune/dried fruit, could be confused for high octane GSM or amarone. Nice herbs, not overwhelming tannic. Love it.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/18/2016 - simoneandblair Likes this wine: 94 Points
Enjoyed the wine with Pierre and Rubina. This was the evening that Simone and Rubina promised our 2018 Valentine's bonanza.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/21/2016 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
Christie's Smith Haut Lafitte Dinner (RPM Steak - Chicago IL): Opened a day earlier. Black, bold fruit. Massive fruit dominates the front, then firm tannins middle to finish. No fear of this fading any time soon.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/14/2016 - CamWheeler wrote: 92 Points
SLDS September 2016: Blood, chocolate, charcoal, brick and raspberry. Full power on the palate, this has a great mix of weight, texture and tannins. Intense and the brightness of the fruit still holds up against the structure. A notch up on the Quintarelli on all levels really.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/28/2016 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 95 Points
SO'd overnight then decanted for 3 hrs (based on others notes), huge dark fruit, mod/firm tannins, long finish; delicious but obviously, still young
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/26/2016 - Francois Le Mouel Likes this wine: 94 Points
A lot more tannic and younger than my previous bottles. Still as complex...it should be decanted for at least 2-3 hours. Balanced wine that should/can be cellared for another 10+ years. If you open a bottle now, have it with a big juicy steak.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/23/2016 - JSampson1980 wrote: 89 Points
Maybe we consumed it too early. Too dense.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/1/2016 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 93 Points
Brought by a friend, and sacrificed way too young, but still a real pleasure. Rich black fruit, sweet spice and baking chocolate, as per prior notes. Needs 5+ years to round out and really shine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/4/2016 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 93 Points
Unsurprisingly shut down on being opened, this blossomed beautifully after 2 hours and continued to evolve through the night. Rich black fruit, sweet spice and baking chocolate. Relatively restrained for a Dal Forno, actually, and approachable with a solid decant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/17/2015 - Kris G Likes this wine:
well made, a touch too much wood at the moment, but this will integrate with further cellaring I feel
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/18/2015 - RussK wrote: 92 Points
Russk Folio Tasting at Cipriani. Smokey and savage. Deep and interesting. No jam. Why cant more valpoliocella be like this? On of the WOTN.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/15/2015 - BigBoy_Sonoma Likes this wine: 92 Points
mocha, blueberries, blackberries, sage, herbs. A/A- (92)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/2/2015 - Jimmy_D Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bootleggers/Dal Forno tasting Sep '15: This came out first, restrained power in this guy. Burnt cherry and raspberry flavours. Still very much primary at 8 years of age. Could do with 5 more before trying again, yet very approachable now. Plenty of tannins for the long haul and balanced nicely. At present 91-92 with some upside. Though not for me at the RRP price point of $159, even with a discount offered on the night.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/1/2015 - CamWheeler wrote: 92 Points
Bootleggers Wine Tasting: Chocolate, tobacco, raspberry and smoke - quite perfumed and the longer it was in the glass, the better it seemed. Quite powerful palate, with intensity and fruit weight balanced against fairly bold tannins. Very good length and while the depth of the wine may reflect the vintage, this is no doubt extremely good anyway.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/25/2015 - Mr.Eis wrote: 94 Points
Wauuv hvilken næsen. Chokolade, vanilje, varme, mørke bær. Fyldig og intens smag med dejlig prikkende alkohol, powerfull med masser af bær nærmest tyktflydende sort guld
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/22/2015 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Black as pitch color, Extracted with rich black cherry fruit, young, with big tannin. Almost a new world finish with a touch of sweet coconut / piña colada. This has a great nose and it is a beast of a wine. A wine for those who like the enamel stripped off their teeth.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/22/2015 - Francois Le Mouel Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow! What a wine. Not as tannic as previous vintages, already enjoyable, complex (floral, spicy, herbal...bam, bam, bam)...with an amazing, long finish. Thank god I have another 9 bottles waiting in the cellar (I bought one more today :)). No stress, this can easily age for another 5-8 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/7/2015 - Rezy13 wrote: 91 Points
Tuesday Night Double Blind $60+ (Bin 75): Black core with thin crimson red rim; medicinal, red cherry, menthol, tobacco, dill, sweet wood, citrus, tropical, coffee, nose is awkward; fat, rich mouthfeel, high alcohol, loads of oak and tannin, prickle, some bitter tannin, drying, bitter chocolate, intense and powerful; wow this really needs 10 more years, almost brutally young, lots of potential though, 91++.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/24/2015 - Francois Le Mouel Likes this wine: 95 Points
Based on my experience with this Valpolicella, I was quite surprised to taste a Dal Forno Valpolicella that is almost ready to drink, after not even 8 years! Very intense and complex as usual, but this one is smoother and easier to drink. Always this very special floral aromas that I love. Nine more bottles to go...life is perfect!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/27/2015 - Gabbby wrote: 91 Points
According to a wine merchant, 2007 Amarone was not produced, grapes are declassified to this Valpolicella, so I was curious to try this bottle. Pop and served. Dark ink color. Rich, blackberry, and smoky aroma. Intense, jammy, dried fruit, sweet tannin, very concentrated full body wine. Surprisingly drinkable at this young age and the wine opened up after 2 hrs. Should revisit in 2 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/17/2015 - Motz wrote: 94 Points
Crazy good complexity on the bouquet and palate. Layered, rounded, great depth, very long. A wine to sit and ponder the meaning of life over. 93-94.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/23/2015 - astroman wrote:
deep tannin. still young.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/16/2014 - Burgnick wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for 3 hours. A lot of dry fruit. The nose was excellent with hints of caramel. Medium tannins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/2/2014 - drdan8 wrote: 92 Points
A veritable powerhouse for a Valpolicella Superiore. Double decanted for 2 hours and it still exhibited monster and grippy tannins that speak to the youth of this wine. Full bodied with touches of raisin, plum, dark flowers, sweet licorice, and a nice drying bitter note of classic Amarone.! Did I mention grippy tannin on the finish ? It should be excellent in 3-5 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2013 - Miceri Likes this wine: 97 Points
Decanted 2 hours; quite dark red; highly pleasant and inviting fruity nose with lots of sweet tones; fruity, elegant, powerful, velvety attack, light tannic bites; long dense deep aftertaste
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/24/2013 - HenrikJ wrote: 90 Points
Herbs, raisins, prunes and raspberry flavoured black tea on the nose. Massive palate with loads of dried fruits but still a decent balance thanks to the tannins. This is not my style of wine, but objectively it's probably the best Valpolicella Superiore I've ever tasted.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment