Valpolicella - Superiore - Monte Lodoletta - Dal Forno Romano

The Valpolicella Superiore DOC Monte Lodoletta by Dal Forno Romano is far more than a simple Valpolicella — it is an absolute icon of Veronese and Italian winemaking, produced by one of the families who permanently redefined the boundaries of what is possible from this territory and these grape varieties.

Romano Dal Forno, supported today by his children, has built over forty years of work a reputation without equal in the Valpolicella: his wines are sought and collected worldwide, his vintages sell out within days of release, and his prices reach levels few Italian producers can claim. All of this stems from a radical, uncompromising philosophy: extremely low yields — often less than 500 grams per vine — late harvests with bunch-by-bunch selection, extended appassimento and ageing in new barriques for periods that exceed those of most Amarones on the market.

Monte Lodoletta — the name of the estate in Cellore d'Illasi in the eastern Valpolicella — is the Valpolicella Superiore in the Dal Forno range: nominally the "entry-level" wine, which in reality surpasses the vast majority of Amarones available on the market. Produced from Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Oseleta, partially dried, it reaches alcohol levels and concentrations that defy easy categorisation. On the nose it is overwhelming in intensity and complexity: black cherry and blackberry preserve, dark chocolate, espresso, oriental tobacco, fine leather, vanilla, warm spice and a mineral and balsamic depth of extraordinary dimension. On the palate it is monumental — dense and enveloping, with massive but velvety tannins, an almost Recioto-like sweetness intertwined with a surprising fresh acidity and a finish that lingers for minutes. A wine that demands at least 2 to 3 hours of decanting and only fully expresses itself after 10 to 15 years from the harvest.

Available in extremely limited quantities — one of the most difficult wines to find anywhere in Italy.