Italy

“The 2012 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico takes its time opening in the glass, slowly evolving with a rich blend of crushed black cherries complemented by dusty violet florals and exotic spice. This coasts across the palate, silky-smooth yet with cooling minerality and brisk acids that add an energetic feel as a saturation of red fruits and fine tannins collect toward the close. The 2012 finishes lightly structured with a resonance of balsamic spice and bitter hints of cocoa that linger on and on—a fantastic and genuinely harmonious rendition of Bertani’s Amarone Classico. Drinking window: 2024-2040. 93 points”

Eric Guido, Vinous (03/23)

“The 2014 is a unique rendition of Dal Forno’s Valpolicella Superiore Monte Lodoletta. It’s a remarkably pretty wine, displaying crushed ripe strawberries and plums with cinnamon, clove, vanilla bean and a cooling hint of mint. The textures are velvety, coating all that they touch in glycerol fruit concentration, yet somehow coming across as zesty and spry, contrasting weight with saturating notes of tart blackberry and savory spice. There’s a bit at a lull in the midpalate, yet it hardly takes away from the experience. At times, the Monte Lodoletta can seem almost salty, especially through its long, mouthwatering finish, where hints of cherry pits and herbs linger. This atypical yet truly enjoyable expression is the result of the extremely difficult 2014 vintage, when hail damaged and reduced the crop in the lower-elevation vineyards, followed by rain from August through September. As a result, Dal Forno decided not to produce their Amarone, and to instead focus all of their attention on the Valpolicella. The result is a wine that no Dal Forno fan should miss, but be aware that production was down 30% from an average year. Drinking window: 2024-2040. 97 points

The Val d’Illasi is the furthest valley east of Verona that is permitted to produce Valpolicella and Amarone. It is not part of the original “Classico” growing area, but it is the home of the Dal Forno vineyards and winery. With 26 hectares of vines planted at an average of 270 meters, the Dal Forno family is able to blend the advantages of the alluvial soils in the lower elevations, and the clay-rich soils as their vines move further upslope. The focus here is on the traditional mix of varieties: Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Oseleta and Croatina. However, in the winery, Dal Forno depends on a modern approach, with no fear of technology, to create their portfolio of dark, massively intense, seamlessly elegant, yet wonderfully balanced Amarone and Valpolicella. Marco Dal Forno, enologist and second generation, explained that the family had recently acquired another 24 hectares of vineyards, but it intends to experiment with them prior to blending them into the production. His goal is to better understand the unique soil types within Illasi and how each variety acts differently within them, in order to plan for replantings in the future. That said, production quantity was a repeating theme of our conversations, as he also explained to me that hail is becoming more and more frequent. As I mentioned previously, these are modern interpretations of the wines of the region, but don’t let that deter you, because they are also some of the best produced from year to year. Following an extremely strict selection, Corvina grapes for the Amarone undergo three months of air-drying, followed by a first fermentation in stainless steel with automated punch-downs; and then moved into new French oak, where the wine undergoes a slow secondary fermentation that can last up to 18 months. Ultimately, the Amarone spends two years in barrel prior to bottling. It’s also extremely important to take note that even the Valpolicella of Dal Forno spends 45 days air-drying, followed by two years in new oak and three years in bottle. Basically, it’s like drinking many other producers’ Amarone, but it’s labeled Valpolicella.”

Eric Guido, Vinous (02/21)

“The 2017 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Pergole Vece wafts up with blood orange and spice giving way to blackberries, currants and sweet herbs. It’s silky and staining with blue-tinged fruits and inner florals-like liquid extract, as dark chocolate and raspberry liqueur come through. There’s so much depth here, as this seems almost salty in character. It’s incredibly long with a sweet flourish and unexpectedly fresh. The 2017 is so incredibly easy to like. Drinking window: 2022-2030. 92 points”

Eric Guido, Vinous (04/22)

Review to follow

“The darkly alluring 2013 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Stropa smolders up from the glass with a beguiling mix of ground ginger, crushed ashen stone, sugar-dusted black cherries and cloves. This floods the palate with an intense wave of ripe medicinal cherry and blackberry, accentuated by a pretty inner sweetness yet contrasted by a pop of brisk acidity that adds tension toward the close. The 2013 finishes dramatically long and primary with youthfully grippy tannins and a potent staining of residual fruits. Cedar and licorice hints slowly fade. So powerful but also energetic, the 2013 has outstanding cellaring potential. Drinking window: 2026-2040. 95+ points

Over the last few years, I’ve been happily following the wines of Monte dall’Ora, which possess a sense of energy and purity seldom found in Valpolicella. Carlo Venturini and his wife Alessandra Zantedeschi started to work their farm in 1995, organic at first, with a conversion to biodynamic principles in 2006. The couple believes deeply in biodiversity, using pergola-trained vines planted amongst cherry and olive trees and grasses and wildflowers that create a natural ecosystem. The family also tends to a 50-year-old parcel planted using the “vite maritata” system, where the vines are “married” or supported by trees, including almond and mulberry. This parcel creates their Amarone Stropa, which is a huge standout. Each wine is a declaration of place with vineyards throughout the Classico zone. Also of note is the high-elevation San Giorgio vineyard, which produces one of the most exciting Valpolicella I have tasted this year. This is low intervention, natural winemaking at its very best.”

Eric Guido, Vinous (03/23)

“The 2019 Valpolicella Classico Superiore Camporenzo is smoky and spicy from the first tilt of the glass, as crushed stone blows off to reveal peppery herbs and wild berries. This washes across the palate with a pretty inner sweetness up front contrasted by mineral-tinged red fruits and blood orange. The 2019 lingers long yet remarkably fresh, leaving a salty flourish and licorice hints framed by a tug of gentle tannin. This is so beautiful today that it’s hard to imagine waiting, yet don’t be surprised if this improves with a year or two in bottle. Drinking window: 2023-2027. 92 points

Over the last few years, I’ve been happily following the wines of Monte dall’Ora, which possess a sense of energy and purity seldom found in Valpolicella. Carlo Venturini and his wife Alessandra Zantedeschi started to work their farm in 1995, organic at first, with a conversion to biodynamic principles in 2006. The couple believes deeply in biodiversity, using pergola-trained vines planted amongst cherry and olive trees and grasses and wildflowers that create a natural ecosystem. The family also tends to a 50-year-old parcel planted using the “vite maritata” system, where the vines are “married” or supported by trees, including almond and mulberry. This parcel creates their Amarone Stropa, which is a huge standout. Each wine is a declaration of place with vineyards throughout the Classico zone. Also of note is the high-elevation San Giorgio vineyard, which produces one of the most exciting Valpolicella I have tasted this year. This is low intervention, natural winemaking at its very best.”

Eric Guido, Vinous (03/23)