English
FrançaisA major benchmark of modern Valpolicella, Dal Forno Romano crafts Amarone and Valpolicella wines of spectacular density, shaped by appassimento, extreme selection and remarkable ageing potential.
Dal Forno Romano — The controlled power of modern Valpolicella
Dal Forno Romano is one of Italy’s most prestigious estates and an absolute reference in Valpolicella. Located in the Illasi Valley, east of Verona, the domaine has imposed a modern, rigorous and radically quality-driven vision of Amarone and Valpolicella.
Founded by Romano Dal Forno, the estate is built on rare exacting standards: low yields, severe grape selection, controlled appassimento, precise vinification and long élevage. Its wines are deep, dark, velvety and powerful, yet always supported by freshness, precision and a remarkable capacity to age.
Dal Forno Romano seeks intensity without heaviness, concentration without excess and power without losing balance. Each wine is built with almost architectural precision, resulting in dense, profound bottles with remarkable poise.
History
The story of the estate began in the early 1980s, when Romano Dal Forno set out to produce wines capable of standing alongside Italy’s greatest references. In a region still marked by uneven styles, he quickly imposed an approach based on precision, selection and the pursuit of depth.
His work helped redefine the image of Valpolicella. Dal Forno demonstrated that the region could produce wines of exceptional intensity, capable of combining aromatic richness, velvety texture, structural freshness and very long ageing potential.
Terroir
The estate is located in the Illasi Valley, east of Verona, in an area where gravelly and clay-rich soils favour drainage, phenolic ripeness and aromatic concentration. Exposure and temperature variation play an essential role in the final balance of the wines.
Warm days, cooler nights and natural ventilation allow the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly. This freshness is decisive in the Dal Forno style: it balances the richness created by appassimento and gives the wines tension, poise and longevity.
Viticulture and vinification
Dal Forno Romano works with the traditional grape varieties of Valpolicella, notably Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Croatina and Oseleta. The vineyards are managed with great precision, aiming for low yields, full ripeness and strict grape selection.
Appassimento lies at the heart of the estate’s identity. The grapes are dried to concentrate aromas, tannins and substance, then vinified with controlled extraction. Long ageing, often in French oak barrels, brings a luxurious texture, polished tannins and great stability over time.
Wine style
The Dal Forno style is defined by impressive intensity. The wines are dark, fleshy, concentrated and velvety, with aromas of black cherry, plum, blackberry, cocoa, dark chocolate, mocha, tobacco, fine leather and spice.
Despite their richness, the best bottles never fall into heaviness. Acidity, freshness and tannic structure bring verticality to the whole. Valpolicella Superiore impresses with its density, while Amarone represents the most powerful, profound and complex expression of the estate.
Emblematic cuvées
Valpolicella Superiore Monte Lodoletta: one of the estate’s major wines, exceptionally rich for the appellation, ample, deep, spicy and capable of beautiful evolution.
Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta: a great age-worthy wine, powerful, dark and sumptuous, carried by a velvety texture, polished tannins and a very long finish.
Vigna Seré: a rare and opulent Recioto della Valpolicella, produced only in exceptional vintages, marked by dried fruit, dark chocolate, mocha and spice.
Cellaring and food pairings
The wines of Dal Forno Romano are built for cellaring. Their concentration, tannic structure, acidity and long élevage allow them to evolve for many years, developing notes of candied fruit, tobacco, leather, mocha, truffle and melted spices.
They naturally pair with braised meats, slow-cooked beef, noble game, confit lamb, mushroom risotto, truffle dishes, wine-based sauces and mature cheeses. Vigna Seré pairs beautifully with dark chocolate, dried-fruit desserts, certain blue cheeses or a contemplative tasting moment.
Country: Italy
Region: Veneto, Valpolicella
Domaine: Dal Forno Romano
Founder: Romano Dal Forno
Sector: Illasi Valley, east of Verona
Key method: appassimento, rigorous grape selection and long ageing
Main grape varieties: Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Croatina, Oseleta
Style: deep, dense, opulent, velvety, precise, structured and built for ageing.
In summary: Dal Forno Romano embodies one of the most powerful and controlled expressions of modern Valpolicella, with profound, velvety and intense wines capable of ageing with remarkable poise.
For lovers of great Italian reds from Veneto, Dal Forno is an essential signature, combining controlled power, aromatic richness, sumptuous texture and long ageing potential.
Fruit: black cherry, plum, blackberry, jammy dark fruit and fig.
Nuances: cocoa, dark chocolate, mocha, tobacco, fine leather, spice, balsamic notes and noble oak.
Evolution: candied fruit, discreet truffle, melted spices, prune, undergrowth and a long velvety finish.
Current selection
Discover our selection of Dal Forno Romano wines, subject to availability: Valpolicella Superiore Monte Lodoletta, Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta, Vigna Seré, mature vintages, great years and bottles sought after by lovers of the finest Italian wines from Veneto.
