At the very top of the wine spectrum in Veneto is Dal Forno Romano, producing wines of the highest standard and quality. This quality comes at a price, but it's an experience that is hard to forget. Here are two examples I recently enjoyed.
Dal Forno Romano, Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG, 2009, 16.5% ABV, $300
Powerful finesse, is the overriding descriptor for this wonderful wine. The nose begins with dense, dark, sweet, fruit notes dried blackberry and warm strawberry with pie spice, sweet, dried, aromatic tobacco, and charred violet incense. The palate is delicious and complex with fruit that is concentrated but fresh, with flavors of blackberry, blueberry, and raspberry all present. These flavors are dense, but have a lean edge and good acidity, supported by fine grained grip and notes of 90% cacao chocolate. The palate has a weightless character that offsets the density beautifully. Everything is underscored by the grip and juicy acidity. The finish lingers for minutes. 98 Pts
Dal Forno Romano, Valpolicella Superiore DOC, 2009, 14.5% ABV, $90
The details in the nose of this incredible wine just keep manifesting themselves over several minutes of examination. Those details include sweet dark tobacco, charred meat, ripe black fruit, blackberry liquor, perfumed ink, fresh aromatic herbs, sweet vanilla, and a suggestion of toasted coconut. The palate is fresh, energetic and delicious with lean blackberry and black currant, dried herbs, and tobacco. There's plenty of supporting acidity, excellent balance, and super-fine mouth-coating tannins. Made in the
appassimento method, with grapes dried for 90 days, this "Valpolicella" behaves like a top Amarone. Aged 36 months in new barrique and 24 months in bottle. 97 Pts
The details in the nose of this incredible wine just keep manifesting themselves over several minutes of examination. Those details include sweet dark tobacco, charred meat, ripe black fruit, blackberry liquor, perfumed ink, fresh aromatic herbs, sweet vanilla, and a suggestion of toasted coconut. The palate is fresh, energetic and delicious with lean blackberry and black currant, dried herbs, and tobacco. There's plenty of supporting acidity, excellent balance, and super-fine mouth-coating tannins. Made in the appassimento method, with grapes dried for 90 days, this "Valpolicella" behaves like a top Amarone. Aged 36 months in new barrique and 24 months in bottle. 97 Pts