Loc.Lodoletta, 1 – 37031 Illasi — P.IVA 00900760232 — +39 0457834923 — info@dalfornoromano.it
Dal Forno Romano is a winery located in Veneto, one of Italy’s main winegrowing regions.
Terroir
- Overview
Dal Forno Romano was founded in 1983 by Romano and is now run by his son Marco.
Over time, Dal Forno Romano has become a worldwide reference amongst collectors and connoisseurs as one of the finest interpreter of the Valpolicella wines: Amarone, Valpolicella and Recioto.
- The Valpolicella terroir
Valpolicella is a wine area located north of Verona, extending 25 km from West to East and 12 km from North to South.
It is formed by a series of valleys rising from the Lessini Mountains to the north and descending to the south towards the plain.
Dal Forno Romano is located in Val d’Illasi, in the eastern part of the area.
The Val d’Illasi takes its name from the Illasi river. In the valley, the slopes are gentle and terraced, and the alluvial soil is a mixture of gravel, silt, clay, and many fossils: clear traces left by the ancient presence of the sea.
The valley has good sun exposure and is well ventilated. Air is a fundamental element not only for the quality of the grapes, but also for good drying.
The first vintage of Amarone and Valpolicella produced by Romano dal Forno dates back to 1983.
Vineyards
- The Parcels
- Vigna Figarolo
- Vigna Seré
- Vigna Castagnini
- Vigna Lodoletta
- Vigna Salgari
- Vigna Casa
- Vigna Campagnola
- Vigna Mezzomonte
* Winery
34 hectares
18 of which owned
from 280 to 350
metres above sea level
- The Winery Foundation
The Dal Forno family had already been cultivating vineyards for generations. At the age of 22, Romano met Giuseppe Quintarelli, considered a maestro of Amarone: this encounter changed his vision of viticulture and oenology.
In 1983, Romano took over his family’s vineyards and began making his own wine with one single aim: to produce Valpolicella wines that would stand among the finest wines in the world.
At the time, Romano had very modest home winemaking equipment. In the 1990’s, despite having little money, he took a leap of faith and built a state of the art winery.
Over four decades of history, the wines of Dal Forno Romano have achieved the highest awards and have and have reached the peak of Italian wine production.
Today, Marco continues his father’s work with the focus on uncompromising quality, from the vineyard to the bottle.
- Vineyards and varieties
The family’s estate vineyards have slowly increased over the years, reaching 34 hectars, 18 of which owned. They are planted with Corvina, Croatina, Rondinella, and Oseleta.
Compared to many other Valpolicella producers, there is a very high density of vines planted per hectare (almost 13,000) and a very low yield per single vine, in order to obtain a greater concentration of aromas.
- The commitment to viticulture
For Dal Forno Romano, excellence is not just a goal, but a whole process that starts from the foundation: the vineyard.
Over time, Dal Forno Romano has developed its own approach to understanding the health of the ecosystem, by applying perspectives extracted from biology, botany and entomology.
For example, the vineyard is constantly monitored by analysing the composition of the soil and its respiration. At the same time, the number and variety of insects and wild plants is checked continuously.
Biodiversity is a key indicator for understanding human impact on the environment and current climate change.
“The vineyard is a book that you must read in its whole, not just in some parts.”
MARCO DAL FORNO
Process
In the summers, a green harvest is made, cutting the lower part of each bunch, which typically does not ripen as well as the upper part of the bunch.
The grape harvest is a time when the family gathers to work in the vineyard with a religious conviction. It begins with Croatina, then Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella. Oseleta is the last variety to be harvested.
This work requires high concentration.
Each grape is carefully checked. Those that are either infected with botrytis or have any imperfection that would undermine the freshness of the wine are removed.
The harvested grapes are brought to the cellar to dry. Here, Romano has developed an original and unique drying system.
The drying room has several large fans, placed on sliding tracks, circulating air up and down the stacks of drying grapes. Every five minutes, the fans invert the direction of the airflow to ensure consistency.
Drying time
Valpolicella Superiore: 1 month and a half. Amarone: 3 months. The tendency is, in any case, to adapt the drying period to the vintage conditions.
A humidifier is not used, instead the windows are computer controlled, allowing air flow into the drying room as needed.
The wine-making process features many innovations. The tanks and the press are designed with a vacuum system.
The objective of wine-making is freshness, and much attention is given to avoiding oxidation during the entire wine-making process.
No chemicals are used to clean the tanks, but they are steam-sterilised with an automated cleaning system that allows each tank to be reached and cleaned throughly.
The winery has always worked with new barriques only, but the choice of oak origin, American or French, has changed over time: experimentation with different woods has been driven by the goal of achieving greater expressiveness, longevity and drinkability of the wines.
As of the 2013 vintage, 70 per cent of the Valpolicella Superiore is aged in French oak and 30 per cent in American oak, while the Amarone ages half in French and half in American oak.
Aging time
Both Valpolicella Superiore and Amarone mature in barrique from 24 to 48 months, according to the vintage conditions.
Wines
Dal Forno Romano chooses to produce only three wines: Valpolicella, Amarone and, in special vintages, a Recioto called Vigna Seré.
The annual production of all the three wines is about 5,000 cases. Amarone and Valpolicella differ only in the age of the vines and the lenght of the drying period of the grapes
- VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE DOC “MONTE LODOLETTA”
Valpolicella Superiore DOC ‘Monte Lodoletta’ is a wine that stands out from other wines in its category. Differences that are mainly due to specific production methods. In fact, the same quality and procedural criteria that are adopted for Amarone are faithfully followed.
All the grapes destined to the Valpolicella Superiore undergo a light but beneficial drying process lasting about a month and a half. This phase allows the grapes to achieve an optimal balance between organoleptic concentration and olfactory freshness. The result is a wine of extraordinary aromatic intensity and longevity.
APPELLATION \ Valpolicella Superiore DOC
VINE AGE \ Up to 10 years old
SOIL TYPE \ Alluvial plains 70% gravel, 15% silt, 15% clay
BLEND \ 60% Corvina, 10% Corvinone, 5% Rondinella, 15% Croatina, 10%Oseleta
DRYING PERIOD \ 1.5 month
FERMENTATION \ Stainless steel; controlled temperature
around 28°C (82°F); 15 days of punchdowns and maceration
AGEING \ The total stay in barrels for the 2017 vintage was 36 months, 70% in French oak and 30% in American oak
- AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA DOCG “MONTE LODOLETTA”
Though made from the same varieties as Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG ‘Monte Lodoletta’ enjoys three distinct features. First of all, the drying period of grapes: three months for Amarone, one and a half for Valpolicella. Secondly, the age of the vineyard. According to Dal Forno’s philosophy, only the grapes from older vineyards can be used to produce Amarone. Last, but not the least, if the selection of grapes for Valpolicella is already rigorous, for Amarone it is even more so.
APPELLATION \ Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG
VINE AGE \ Grapes destined for Amarone come exclusively from vineyards over 10 years old
SOIL TYPE \ Alluvial plains 70% gravel, 15% silt, 15% clay
BLEND \ 60% Corvina, 10% Corvinone, 5% Rondinella, 15% Croatina 10% Oseleta
DRYING PERIOD \ 3 month
FERMENTATION \ Stainless steel; controlled temperature around 28°C (82°F); 15 days of punchdowns and maceration; decanted into new French & American oak where slow fermentation continues for 18 months
AGEING \The total stay in barrels for the 2017 vintage was 24 months, 50% in French oak and 50% in American oak
- VENETO ROSSO PASSITO DOLCE IGT “Vigna Seré”
If Recioto represents the pinnacle of Valpolicella wines, ‘Vigna Seré’ Veneto IGT is the jewel in the crown of the Dal Forno Romano winery. It is produced in very limited quantities and on very rare occasions: in the company’s forty-year history, it has only been released in the 1988, 1990, 1994, 1997, 2003 and 2004 vintages.
Since the 2003 vintage, the wine’s characteristics have no longer been deemed compliant with those dictated by the production regulations for Recioto della Valpolicella DOC. The winery therefore opted to maintain its independence of style and, taking its inspiration from the name of one of the localities where the company’s vineyards are located, named the wine ‘Vigna Seré’, downgrading it to IGT.
The production of Vigna Seré requires special soil and climate conditions, as the selected grapes must have a high sugar content while still on the vine. The reference vineyards for this production are the same as those for Amarone, but only the ripest bunches, after a very strict selection process, can take part in its production.
SOIL TYPE \ Of alluvial origin, composed of 70% gravel, 15% silt and 15% clay
BLEND \ 60% Corvina, 10% Corvinone, 5% Rondinella, 15% Croatina and 10% Oseleta. The grapes for Vigna Seré come exclusively from vineyards destined for Amarone. These vineyards must be over 10 years old
DRYING PERIOD \ 4 month
FERMENTATION \ Stainless steel; controlled temperature around 28°C (82°F); 15 days of punchdowns and maceration
AGEING \ Of alluvial origin, composed of 70% gravel, 15% silt and 15% clay
Dal Forno Romano is a winery located in Veneto, one of Italy’s main winegrowing regions.
The Valpolicella Terroir
Overview
Dal Forno Romano was founded in 1983 by Romano and is now run by his son Marco.
Over time, Dal Forno Romano has become a worldwide reference amongst collectors and connoisseurs as one of the finest interpreters of the Valpolicella wines: Amarone, Valpolicella and Recioto.
The Valpolicella terroir
Valpolicella is a wine area located north of Verona, extending 25 km from West to East and 12 km from North to South. It is formed by a series of valleys rising from the Lessini Mountains to the north and descending to the south towards the plain.
Dal Forno Romano is located in Val d’Illasi, in the eastern part of the area.
The Val d’Illasi takes its name from the Illasi river. In the valley, the slopes are gentle and terraced, and the alluvial soil is a mixture of gravel, silt, clay, and many fossils: clear traces left by the ancient presence of the sea.
The valley has good sun exposure and is well ventilated. Air is a fundamental element not only for the quality of the grapes, but also for good drying.
The first vintage of Amarone and Valpolicella produced by Romano dal Forno dates back to 1983.
The Vineyards
The Parcels
- Vigna Figarolo
- Vigna Seré
- Vigna Castagnini
- Vigna Lodoletta
- Vigna Salgari
- Vigna Casa
- Vigna Campagnola
- Vigna Mezzomonte
* Winery
34 hectares
18 of which are owned
from 280 to 350
metres above sea level
The Winery Foundation
The Dal Forno family had already been cultivating vineyards for generations. At the age of 22, Romano met Giuseppe Quintarelli, considered a maestro of Amarone: this encounter changed his vision of viticulture and oenology.
In 1983, Romano took over his family’s vineyards and began making his own wine with one single aim: to produce Valpolicella wines that would stand among the finest wines in the world.
At the time, Romano had very modest home winemaking equipment. In the 1990’s, despite having little money, he took a leap of faith and built a state of the art winery.
Within four decades of history, the wines of Dal Forno Romano have reached the peak of Italian wine production and have achieved the highest international recognition.
Today, Marco continues his father’s work with the focus on uncompromising quality, from the vineyard to the bottle.
Vineyards and varieties
The family’s estate vineyards have slowly increased over the years, reaching 34 hectares, 18 of which are owned. They are planted with Corvina, Croatina, Rondinella, and Oseleta.
Compared to many other Valpolicella producers, there is a very high density of vines planted per hectare (almost 13,000) and a very low yield per single vine, in order to obtain a greater concentration of aromas.
The commitment to viticulture
For Dal Forno Romano, excellence is not just a goal, but a whole process that starts from the foundation: the vineyard.
Over time, Dal Forno Romano has developed its own approach to understanding the health of the ecosystem, by applying perspectives extracted from biology, botany and entomology. For example, the vineyard is constantly monitored by analysing the composition of the soil and its respiration. At the same time, the number and variety of insects and wild plants is checked continuously.
Biodiversity is a key indicator for understanding human impact on the environment and current climate change.
“The vineyard is a book that you must read in its whole, not just in some parts.”
MARCO DAL FORNO
The winemaking process
In the summers, a green harvest is made, cutting the lower part of each bunch, which typically does not ripen as well as the upper part of the bunch.
The grape harvest is a time when the family gathers to work in the vineyard with a religious conviction. It begins with Croatina, then Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella. Oseleta is the last variety to be harvested.
This work requires high concentration.
Each grape is carefully checked. Those that are either infected with botrytis or have any imperfection that would undermine the freshness of the wine are removed.
The harvested grapes are brought to the cellar to dry. Here, Romano has developed an original and unique drying system.
The drying room has several large fans, placed on sliding tracks, circulating air up and down the stacks of drying grapes. Every five minutes, the fans invert the direction of the airflow to ensure consistency.
Drying time
Valpolicella Superiore: 1 month and a half. Amarone: 3 months. The tendency is, in any case, to adapt the drying period to the vintage conditions.
No chemicals are used to clean the tanks, but they are steam-sterilised with an automated cleaning system that allows each tank to be reached and cleaned throughly.
A humidifier is not used, instead the windows are computer controlled, allowing air flow into the drying room as needed.
The wine-making process features many innovations. The tanks and the press are designed with a vacuum system. The objective of wine-making is freshness, and much attention is given to avoiding oxidation during the entire wine-making process.
The winery has always worked with new barriques only, but the choice of oak origin, American or French, has changed over time: experimentation with different woods has been driven by the goal of achieving greater expressiveness, longevity and drinkability of the wines.
As of the 2013 vintage, 70 per cent of the Valpolicella Superiore is aged in French oak and 30 per cent in American oak, while the Amarone ages half in French and half in American oak.
Aging time
Both Valpolicella Superiore and Amarone mature in barrique from 24 to 48 months, according to the vintage conditions.
The wines
Dal Forno Romano chooses to produce only three wines: Valpolicella, Amarone and, in special vintages, a Recioto called Vigna Seré.
The annual production of all the three wines is about 5,000 cases. Amarone and Valpolicella differ only in the age of the vines and the lenght of the drying period of the grapes
APPELLATION \ Valpolicella Superiore DOC
VINE AGE \ Up to 10 years old
SOIL TYPE \ Alluvial plains 70% gravel, 15% silt, 15% clay
BLEND \ 60% Corvina, 10% Corvinone, 5% Rondinella, 15% Croatina, 10% Oseleta
DRYING PERIOD \ 1.5 month
FERMENTATION \ Stainless steel; controlled temperature
around 28°C (82°F); 15 days of punchdowns and maceration
AGEING \ The total stay in barrels for the 2017 vintage was 36 months, 70% in French oak and 30% in American oak
- VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE DOC “MONTE LODOLETTA”
Valpolicella Superiore DOC ‘Monte Lodoletta’ is a wine that stands out from other wines in its category. Differences that are mainly due to specific production methods. In fact, the same quality and procedural criteria that are adopted for Amarone are faithfully followed.
All the grapes destined to the Valpolicella Superiore undergo a light but beneficial drying process lasting about a month and a half. This phase allows the grapes to achieve an optimal balance between organoleptic concentration and olfactory freshness. The result is a wine of extraordinary aromatic intensity and longevity.
APPELLATION \ Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG
VINE AGE \ Grapes destined for Amarone come exclusively from vineyards over 10 years old
SOIL TYPE \ Alluvial plains 70% gravel, 15% silt, 15% clay
BLEND \ 60% Corvina, 10% Corvinone, 5% Rondinella, 15% Croatina 10% Oseleta
DRYING PERIOD \ 3 month
FERMENTATION \ Stainless steel; controlled temperature around 28°C (82°F); 15 days of punchdowns and maceration; decanted into new French & American oak where slow fermentation continues for 18 months
AGEING \ The total stay in barrels for the 2017 vintage was 24 months, 50% in French oak and 50% in American oak
- AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA DOCG “MONTE LODOLETTA”
Though made from the same varieties as Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG “Monte Lodoletta” enjoys three distinct features. First of all, the drying period of grapes: three months for Amarone, one and a half for Valpolicella. Secondly, the age of the vineyard. According to Dal Forno’s philosophy, only the grapes from older vineyards can be used to produce Amarone. Last, but not the least, if the selection of grapes for Valpolicella is already rigorous, for Amarone it is even more so.
This selection is followed by a longer period of rest in the fruit cellar, compared to Amarone, of about 15/20 days. During this phase, the grapes lose about 35/40% of their weight due to dehydration and consequently the concentration of the sugars increases. It is very important not to overdo the drying in order to maintain a perfect balance between acidity and sugars.
SOIL TYPE \ Of alluvial origin, composed of 70% gravel, 15% silt and 15% clay
BLEND \ 60% Corvina, 10% Corvinone, 5% Rondinella, 15% Croatina and 10 %Oseleta. The grapes for Vigna Seré come exclusively from vineyards destined for Amarone. These vineyards must be over 10 years old
DRYING PERIOD \ 4 month
FERMENTATION \ Stainless steel; controlled temperature around 28°C (82°F); 15 days of punchdowns and maceration
AGEING \ After racking, the Vigna Seré rests for a few days in tanks stainless steel tanks which, thanks to their special shape, allow easy decanting, and then matures in new American oak barriques for 24 months
- VENETO ROSSO PASSITO DOLCE IGT “Vigna Seré”
If Recioto represents the pinnacle of Valpolicella wines, Vigna Seré Veneto IGT is the jewel in the crown of the Dal Forno Romano winery. It is produced in very limited quantities and on very rare occasions: in the company’s forty-year history, it has only been released in the 1988, 1990, 1994, 1997, 2003 and 2004 vintages.
Since the 2003 vintage, the wine’s characteristics have no longer been deemed compliant with those dictated by the production regulations for Recioto della Valpolicella DOC. The winery therefore opted to maintain its independence of style and, taking its inspiration from the name of one of the localities where the company’s vineyards are located, named the wine ‘Vigna Seré’, downgrading it to IGT.
The production of Vigna Seré requires special soil and climate conditions, as the selected grapes must have a high sugar content while still on the vine. The reference vineyards for this production are the same as those for Amarone, but only the ripest bunches, after a very strict selection process, can take part in its production.