In the glass
Aroma: dried black cherry, dark chocolate, espresso, tobacco, dried plum, iron minerality
Palate: dried blackberry, dark cherry liqueur, bitter chocolate, cedar, graphite, tar
The most powerful and extracted Amarone on the market: tiny yields, four-month drying, four years in small French oak. Immense concentration of dried fruit, dark chocolate and iron. Built for multi-decade cellaring.
What it pairs with
-
Braised beef cheeks with bone marrow
The wine's almost overwhelming concentration needs the fat and collagen richness of long-braised ox cheek. -
Aged Valtellina Casera
Hard mountain cheese provides salt and umami contrast to the wine's dark fruit density. -
Dark chocolate truffle with sea salt
The wine's chocolate-espresso notes and bitter finish pair with high-cocoa dark chocolate.
History
Romano Dal Forno began producing commercial Amarone in 1990 from his Illasi valley estate, outside the Classico zone. His approach applies Burgundy-style micro-management to Valpolicella: extremely low yields of 500g per vine, four months of drying in refrigerated fruttai, and barrique ageing. The result is Amarone of an entirely different register from the classical approach, attracting international critics and 100-point scores.
- 1990 — First Dal Forno Amarone commercial release
- 2003 — Dal Forno introduces refrigerated fruttai for controlled drying conditions
- 2010 — Marco Dal Forno joins his father in winery direction
Facts
- Producer
- Dal Forno Romano
- Grapes
- Corvina (60%), Oseleta (20%), Corvinone (10%), Molinara (10%)
- Classification
- Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG
- Oak
- Aged 4 years in small French oak barriques (225L), followed by 1 year in bottle before release
- ABV
- 17.0%
- Price
- €350-600 at retail
- Drinking window
- 10-40 from vintage
- First vintage
- 1990