Fermentatedin temperature controlled stainless steel at about 30 degrees celsius; immersion of the cap every 90 minutes for 6 days. No malolactic takes place since drying of the grapes lowers the malic acid. Aged in new barriques for 22 to 28 months, in bottle 1 year.

Tasting notes

Deep ruby-red color, ripe, port-like aromas of hazelnut and raisin, very sweet and rich on the palate; a floral note adds flavor, finishes very long.

Rating

A dense, tightly packed red, with currant, raisin, pungent earth and oak. Full-bodied, with well-placed tannins and a long, youthful mineral and fruit finish. A powerful, promising young Amarone. Give it time. Best after 2008. 825 cases made. –JC Wine Spectator 93 points (Apr 30 2007) The 2001 Amarone is on another level entirely. It exudes notable warmth and ripeness, with profound layers of Venezuelan bitter chocolate, herbs, licorice, smoke, dark fruit and toasted oak. Made in an explosive style, this palate-staining Amarone possesses remarkable detail and nuance for such a big wine. It has been phenomenal on the two occasions I have tasted it so far. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2021. Romano Dal Forno is a humble, down to earth and extremely passionate person. Just a few minutes with Dal Forno are enough to understand his unwavering, some might say obsessive, pursuit of quality. I have never met a producer with such a maniacal approach to cleanliness in the cellar. Nothing is wasted here. As I tasted the drying grapes after the 2006 harvest one grape fell to the ground, but it was swiftly picked up by Dal Forno. The same aesthetic applies to Dal Forno’s work in the vineyards. Dal Forno’s newest plot is planted with an extremely dense 12,800 vines per hectare and can only be described as a work of surgical precision. Dal Forno uses roughly 60-70% Corvina, 10-15% Croatina, 10-15% Rondinella and a small amount of Oseleta for the Valpolicella and Amarone. The fruit from the estate’s younger vines goes into the Valpolicella, while Amarone is made from vineyards that range from 10 to 30 years of age. Robert Parker 97 points (Oct 2007)