Romano Dal Forno Valpolicella DOC Superiore 2016

The 2016 Valpolicella DOC Superiore comes from Dal Forno Romano’s Monte Lodoletta vineyard in the Illasi Valley of Veneto, whose alluvial clay soils and meticulous low‑yield viticulture give unusually concentrated fruit for Valpolicella. Grapes (predominantly Corvina and Corvinone with Rondinella, Croatina and Oseleta) are partially dried and then vinified in the estate’s highly controlled modern cellar, producing a wine that approaches Amarone intensity while retaining Valpolicella freshness.​

After fermentation, the wine is aged for around 24 months in new French (and some American) oak barriques, followed by extensive bottle ageing before release, which polishes the tannins and integrates layers of oak‑derived spice, cocoa and vanilla into the dense fruit core. The 2016 vintage is described as particularly classic at the estate, combining richness and structure with noteworthy balance and drinkability despite the wine’s power.​

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Very dark and intense, showing blackberries, black cherries, prune and blackberry jam, with accents of olive, dark tar, mahogany, licorice, cocoa and sweet barbecue spice.​

• Palate: Full‑bodied and richly extracted, offering layers of black fruit, plum, strawberry, tomato leaf, balsamic tones and wet stone over a savoury base of earth and leather, supported by strong, silky tannins and medium‑plus acidity.​

• Finish: Long, dry and complex, with lingering notes of dark chocolate, spiced fruitcake, tobacco and mineral undertones that echo the vineyard’s clay‑and‑stone soils.​

Awards and Accolades
Romano Dal Forno Valpolicella Superiore Monte Lodoletta 2016 has been rated 95 points by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, which highlights its characteristically dark intensity, rich extraction and classic black‑fruit, olive, tar and barbecue‑spice profile, noting that the texture is soft and rich yet finishes relatively dry at 14% alcohol. Additional critic summaries describe the 2016 as dense and polished, loaded with balsamic, cedar, earthy minerality, licorice and leather, underscoring its status as one of the benchmark modern Valpolicella wines of the vintage.​

Serving and Cellaring
Serve at 16–18°C and decant for at least 1–2 hours to allow reduction and oak notes to blow off and the layered black‑fruit and balsamic aromatics to emerge fully. This Valpolicella pairs superbly with grilled or braised beef, game, rich ragù pastas, aged hard cheeses and dishes featuring mushrooms or truffles, and it can comfortably age 15–25 years from the vintage, gaining more dried‑fruit, tobacco and forest‑floor complexity while the tannins further resolve.​

Technical Details
Alcohol: 14% ABV.​
Residual Sugar: Dry; perceived richness comes from concentration and oak ageing rather than sweetness.​
Closure: Natural cork.​