Friday Night Newsletter 9-23-22

Oregon / Walla Walla

Crowley “Phoebe” (Four Winds Vineyard) Chardonnay, Willamette Valley 2020 750ml $55 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Winery note “Aromas of Asian pear, lemon chiffon, honeysuckle, mint and a trace of eucalyptus. The palate has the typical Four Winds high tension and firm acidity combined with mineral to complete its austerity. Richness from barrel enters mid palate and merges with silky texture and creamy fruit to a complete high energy finish. Beeswax lingers as does lime-pie. Wente & Draper clones. Native fermentation.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Cristom ‘Mt. Jefferson Cuvee’ Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2021 750ml $39 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Winery note “This wine is a Cristom classic, 100% Pinot Noir, and exclusively from the Eola-Amity Hills. The 2021 Mt. Jefferson Cuvée Pinot Noir is crafted predominately from our renowned estate single vineyards – Eileen, Jessie, Louise, Marjorie and Paul Gerrie Vineyard – along with fruit from some of our finest partner vineyards. The variety of sources imbues the Mt. Jeff (as it’s affectionately known) with unique characteristics due to the diverse volcanic soils, elevations, and aspects. With 30 years dedicated to whole cluster fermentations and native yeasts, we consider the Mt. Jefferson Cuvée the embodiment of Cristom’s respected winemaking style. The wine is vibrant and fresh with popping acidity and an effusive strawberry and cherried character. With 46% whole cluster fermentation, the spice is effortlessly integrated into the wine with fine tannins. This vintage is simply outstanding.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Cayuse Vineyards ‘Widowmaker’ En Chamberlin Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley 2016 750ml $169 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 99 points “Coming all from the En Chamberlin Vineyard and 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2016 Widowmaker En Chamberlin Vineyard has classic crème de cassis, graphite, smoke tobacco, and smoked earth notes as well as a thrilling floral, exotic quality with time in the glass. This full-bodied, deep, silky wine has no hard edges, beautiful tannins, and a remarkable, profound elegance and purity.”
Anthony Mueller-Wine Advocate 95+ points “Planted on phylloxera-resistant 3309C rootstock, the 2016 The Widowmaker en Chamberlin Vineyard has a black-fruited nose with a tight core of dusty flowers. The wine is full-bodied and lush on the palate, with a tight minerality that will make this quite age-worthy. It’s balanced yet still tight on the mid-palate, with a long, lingering finish. This is a beautiful and generous wine that delivers pleasure with a lush and dusty expression. Only 232 cases made.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

California

My Favorite Neighbor Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles 2019 750ml $49 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 96 points “Blended with a bit of Syrah and Petit Verdot, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon has a deep ruby-purple color and an alluring fragrance of cassis, violet, aniseed, bitter chocolate and coffee beans. It’s notable this vintage for Goldilocks ripeness and seamless lift, offering a chocolate-like texture and very long finish.”
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is more elegant and focused, with medium to full-bodied aromas and flavors of cassis, redcurrants, green tobacco, and cedary spice. I love its texture, it has ripe, polished tannins, plenty of sweet fruit, and a great, great finish, all while staying in a relatively compact, and again, elegant package. As I’ve written in the past, it would cost three to four times the price from Napa. It’s worth noting the change in appellation from Paso Robles to San Luis Obispo County, which probably allows for a wider range of fruit.”
Wine Enthusiast 95 points “Editor’s Choice. This newer brand for Eric Jensen of Booker fame offers a high-class taste of the Central Coast for a somewhat affordable price. It’s dark in the glass, with heavy aromas of baked blackberry, cocoa and violet, the ample fruit balanced by woody, herbal spices. The structure is firm and the density is impressive, with concentrated dark-cherry, berry, caramel and nutmeg flavors. -Matt Kettmann”


France – Rhône

Graillot Domaine des Lises Equis Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône 2019 750ml $34.50 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Graillot Domaine des Lises Equis Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône 2019 750ml $379 special (that’s only $31.58/bottle!)
Case-6 Graillot Domaine des Lises Equis Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône 2019 750ml $199 special (that’s only $33.17/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 93 points “Juicy and well-defined, with a mix of red and black cherry and currant notes that have good energy, with violet, sanguine and singed alder accents filling in throughout. The racy, focused finish pulls everything together. Drink now through 2026. 2,400 cases made, 500 cases imported. — JM”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 92-94 points “Dark berries, licorice, olive and exotic spice aromas pick up a suave floral note with air. Sappy and energetic on the palate, offering bitter cherry, blackberry and star anise flavors that are braced by a spine of juicy acidity. The floral nuance reappears on a very long, dark-fruit-driven finish, with building tannins providing shape and grip. One-third whole clusters.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 91 points “Proprietor Maxime Graillot utilized 25% whole bunches in his 2019 Crozes Hermitage, a vintage he considers sturdier than 2018. It delivers plenty of raspberry and cherry fruit on the nose, a rich, velvety texture on the medium to full-bodied palate and a long, plush finish. It should drink well for at least another 5 years or so.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Domaine Alain Graillot Saint-Joseph Rouge, Rhône 2019 750ml $49 special, 18 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 92-94 points “Expressive cherry, black currant and floral aromas, along with hints of smoky bacon, licorice and black pepper. Nicely concentrated and energetic on the palate, offering lively, mineral-driven black/blue fruit and floral pastille flavors that stretch out and become sweeter with air. Closes very long, sappy and precise, showing fine delineation and spicy bite on the youthfully tannic, floral-tinged finish. Made with 100% whole clusters.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
The average price nationally is $53

Italy – Sicily

Tenuta delle Terre Nere ‘Vigne Niche’ Calderara Sottana Etna Bianco, Sicily 2020 750ml $45 special, 8 bottles in stock now
Eric Guido-Vinous 93 points “The 2020 Etna Bianco Le Vigne Niche-Calderara Sottana is deep and intense. It blossoms slowly with a display of dusty yellow flowers, incense, crushed apples and savory spice. The wine enters the palate with prominent weight and textural girth, offset by brisk acids and salty minerals that give way to ripe orchard fruits and a spicy twist of lime. A coating of primary concentration lingers remarkably long through the structured finale, where hints of chalk dust and custards mingle. As is usually the case, the Calderara Sottana Bianco needs some time to integrate and unwind.”
Wine & Spirits 92 points “Scents of white smoke and wildflowers lead into this wine’s flavors of Meyer lemon and kumquat; all of it hovers above a sizzling mineral core. The fruit tones gain weight and density with exposure to air, picking up notes of dandelion greens and nori as the wine opens. Already a complex and layered wine, this should be even better after a few years in the cellar.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Tenuta delle Terre Nere Calderara Sottana Rosso Etna, Sicily 2019 750ml $59 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Eric Guido-Vinous 94 points “The 2019 Etna Rosso Calderara Sottana slowly blossoms in the glass, unfurling with a layered and deep display of black cherries, licorice camphor and pine. Further swirling unlocks balsam herbs, plum sauce and dusty rose. It rushes the palate with a wave of silken textures, filling the senses with red currants, blueberry and hints of candied citrus. Fine tannins emerge through the finale, previously masked by ripe inner fruits, making for a lightly structured finish. A salty flourish gives way to hints of graphite and black licorice that linger on and on. While I’m accustomed to Calderara Sottana being one of the more structured and backward wines from the Terre Nere portfolio, the 2019 possesses an early appeal that I find quite attractive. That said, there’s an underlying power here that only cellaring will unlock.”
Wine & Spirits 94 points “Vines up to a century old yielded the fruit for this smoky and meaty wine. Its black-cherry and plum flavors are deep and dense, laced with notes of roasted fennel and warm spice. A cool layer of graphite balances the wine’s peppery spice notes, the flavors all riding above a core of bristling minerality. The tannins were still smoothing out after three days, suggesting this has the structure and intensity to age gracefully.”

Tenuta delle Terre Nere ‘Feudo di Mezzo’ Etna Rosso, Sicily 2019 750ml $49 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Eric Guido-Vinous 93 points “The 2019 Etna Rosso Feudo di Mezzo impresses with a dark and rich bouquet that pulls you close with notes of sugar-dusted plums, cloves, spiced citrus peels and hints of pine. It fleshes out across the palate with a salty mix of red berries and wild herbs, more lifted than anticipated yet potent. Grippy tannins mount toward the close. For all of its underlying power, the 2019 tapers off amazingly fresh, yet also structured, with a mix of inner violet and rose. Feudo di Mezzo combines both vivid fruit and the vertical build for a long and steady maturation.”
Wine & Spirits 92 points “This wine is generously fruity for an Etna Rosso, its deep plum and seared-cherry flavors layered with notes of grilled herbs and dark smoke, all of it entwined in bristly black tannins. Play up those smoky notes by pairing this with something off the grill.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Tenuta delle Terre Nere ‘Moganazzi’ Etna Rosso, Sicily 2019 750ml $49 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Wine & Spirits 94 points “Scents of rose petals and mortared herbs rise from the glass in this exuberantly aromatic Etna Rosso. Its flavors of Morello cherry and blood orange are juicy and lively, woven with notes of crushed rock and sea salt and tinged with a smoky savor that lends depth to the bright fruit tones. Marco de Grazia’s plot in Moganazzi is less than four acres, and he makes just 3,000 bottles of this delicious wine. It is well worth seeking out.”
Eric Guido-Vinous 92 points “The 2019 Etna Rosso Moganazzi is spicy and intense, blasting up from the glass with crushed ashen stone, red currants, wild strawberries, sage and hints of cedar. It’s rich and pliant upon entry, yet quickly firms up through a mix of mineral-tinged berries, brisk acids and grippy tannins that arrive quite early and hold firm. That said, there is plenty of primary fruit and depth to balance, as it tapers off structured and long, leaving hints of licorice and inner rose to linger. This is only the third vintage of Moganazzi, which comes from steeply terraced 80-year-old vines at 650 meters on the north side of Etna.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

 

 

Considered a benchmark in Gigondas, the Château de Saint Cosme is a historical gem. Its vineyard sites can be traced back to Roman times. The current owners, the Barruol family, founded the estate in 1490 and have produced wines from these iconic vineyards for 15 generations. A wide variety of impressive Southern and Northern Rhone wines are also produced by the Barruols. Now is great opportunity to stock up and fill your cellar with new releases and multiple back-vintages of these iconic Rhône wines!

Newly Arrived from Saint Cosme:

Saint Cosme Condrieu, Rhône 2020 750ml $69 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “I’m always able to taste Louis’s Northern Rhône release as well. His 2020 Condrieu is medium to full-bodied, pure, and balanced, with that unique Condrieu ability to blend richness and freshness. Some classic tangerine, white flowers, and honeysuckle notes define the nose, and it’s beautifully done. Drink it over the coming 4-6 years.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 92 points “Barruol does a lovely job with Condrieu, which he sources from Malleval, what he calls “the cold corner of Condrieu.” His 2020 Condrieu features flowery, blossom-like aromas, plus subtle pear and spice shadings. It’s only medium-bodied, but provides hints of Viognier’s opulence, with a long, silky-textured finish that barely hints at bitterness.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
The average price nationally is $93

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today for the magnum!

Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas, Rhône 2020 750ml $49 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas, Rhône 2020 750ml $519 special (that’s only $43.25/bottle!)
Case-6 Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas, Rhône 2020 750ml $279 special (that’s only $46.50/bottle!)
Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas, Rhône 2020 1.5L $99 special, 12 magnums in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 91-93 points “Leading off the Gigondas, the base 2020 Gigondas has lots of black raspberry, ground pepper, and violets notes as well as a round, supple, silky style on the palate. It should be approachable on release, yet it has plenty of mid-palate depth as well as tannins, and I have no doubt it will evolve for 20 years if properly stored.”

Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas Hominis Fides, Rhône 2020 750ml $128 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 97-100 points “At the moment, the 2020 Gigondas Hominis Fides looks to be the standout of the three single vineyards, although all three are beautiful wines in the making. It certainly offers the most power and concentration, with lots of ground pepper, Provençal garrigue, violets, and loamy soils notes, as well as a darker cassis and berry-driven core of fruit. It builds beautifully on the palate, with ample structure, incredible balance, and a great, great finish.”
Decanter 94 points “Ripe, figgy blackberry fruit, with a touch of menthol. Full-bodied, rich and generous palate, quite potent and powerful. Dense, thick tannic base and the alcohol is high. Grenache planted sometime around 1902 on Miocene calcareous sand, in a single vineyard. No destemming, 12 months maturation in French oak barriques: 30% new, 30% one-year-old, 30% two-year-old. Unfiltered. Drinking Window 2028 – 2038.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $147

Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas Le Claux, Rhône 2020 750ml $119 special, 30 bottles in stock now
Decanter 96 points “Beautifully fragrant nose of star anise, cedar and cigar tobacco. Full-bodied, rounded and seductively plump and juicy, showing clarity, precision and focus on the palate, the fruit melds well with the considerable oak element, and it finishes long, tight and saline. Best Gigondas of the vintage. Very old vines, all whole-cluster fermented in concrete, no destemming, indigenous yeasts, and matured 100% in barriques; one third new, one third second use, and the rest third use. Drinking Window 2028 – 2038.”
Jeb Dunnuck 95-97 points “The 2020 Gigondas Le Claux offers more cassis-like darker fruits intermixed with flowers, camphor, and graphite. It’s full-bodied, elegant, and seamless, yet shows plenty of tannins on the finish. It’s very much in the style of this pure, elegant vintage.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $146

Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas Le Poste, Rhône 2020 750ml $119 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 95-97 points “More camphor, dried garrigue, flowers, and savory red and black fruits emerge from the 2020 Gigondas Le Poste, a medium to full-bodied red with a rich, concentrated mouthfeel, building tannins, and no shortage of length on the finish. The cellar will be your friend on this one, but it’s another wine that ranks with the crème de la crème of the vintage.”
Decanter 93 points “The oak is forthright on the nose. Tannins are upright, structured and crisp. Full-bodied, juicy and generous, there’s some good drive and focus beneath the oak, and it finishes long. More depth than most, but will take time for the terroir and fruit to rise above the oak. Single vineyard Grenache planted on limestone marl. No destemming and 12 months maturation in French oak barriques: 20% new, 50% one-year-old, 30% two-year-old. Unfiltered. Drinking Window 2028 – 2035.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $150

Arriving Next Week from Saint Cosme:

Château de Saint Cosme Côtes du Rhône Le Poste Blanc, Rhône 2020 750ml $59 pre-arrival special
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “On another level, the 2020 Côtes Du Rhône Le Poste Blanc comes from a gorgeous vineyard in Gigondas (Gigondas doesn’t allow whites, hence the Côtes Du Rhône label) just up the hill from the estate. It has lots of pineapple, bright, sappy herb, and some chalky mineral-notes as well as a medium-bodied, pure, seamless style on the palate. It’s a brilliant white and shows how shortsighted it is for this appellation to not allow whites. I like this today, yet it will be better with a year of bottle age and have a decade of longevity.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $74.99

Saint Cosme Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône 2019 750ml $49 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Saint Cosme Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône 2019 750ml $528 pre-arrival special (that’s only $44/bottle!)
Case-6 Saint Cosme Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône 2019 750ml $279 pre-arrival special (that’s only $46.50/bottle!)
Jeb Dunnuck 92 points “The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape comes from La Crau and a few other terroirs and is 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvèdre. Blackberries, black raspberries, peppery herbs, and some solid earthy minerality give way to a medium to full-bodied, ripe, yet also structured 2019. Some 2019s can have a touch of austerity in their tannins, but this is supple and seamless. It will evolve for 10-15 years.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $64

Saint Cosme Côte Rôtie, Rhône 2020 750ml $69 pre-arrival special
Jeb Dunnuck 94-96 points “I loved the 2020 Côte Rôtie, which is certainly the standout from the North. Coming from both the southern and northern ends of the appellation, it’s full-bodied, ripe, and textured, yet never loses a sense of Côte Rôtie elegance. Lots of bacon fat, exotic flowers (I wrote liquid violet in my notes), and gamey blue fruits define the nose, and the balance is spot on, it has silky tannins and is just another brilliant wine.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 94-96 points “Barruol’s 2020 Cote Rotie blends fruit from both ends of the appellation to create an exciting blend of violets and blueberries on the nose. It’s medium to full-bodied, but richly concentrated and silky, with a lingering, elegant finish. Terrific stuff.”

Saint Cosme Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône 2020 750ml $39 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Saint Cosme Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône 2020 750ml $399 pre-arrival special (that’s only $33.25/bottle!)
Case-6 Saint Cosme Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône 2020 750ml $219 pre-arrival special (that’s only $36.50/bottle!)
Jeb Dunnuck 90-92 points “Leading off the red Northern Rhônes from barrel, the 2020 Crozes-Hermitage is medium to full-bodied, textured, and seamless, with classic berry, darker fruits, pepper, and violet aromatics. I love its texture.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 89-91 points “Sourced mainly from the area around Gervans, Barruol’s 2020 Crozes Hermitage features peppery, slightly ash-like scents, plus notes of black olives and blackberries. Medium to full-bodied, it’s silky and fine, with a touch of licorice creeping in on the finish.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Saint Cosme Saint-Joseph, Rhône 2020 750ml $39 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Saint Cosme Saint-Joseph, Rhône 2020 750ml $219 pre-arrival special (that’s only $36.50/bottle!)
Jeb Dunnuck 91-93 points “A step up, the 2020 Saint Joseph comes all from the northern part of the Northern Rhône, and it’s medium-bodied and elegant, with good ripeness in its darker berry, violet, flower, and wet granite-like nuances. It’s another balanced, seamless red from Louis, and the 2019 vintage is a beauty for the Northern Rhône.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 89-91 points “The 2020 Saint Joseph comes from Malleval, toward the northern end of the appellation. Scents of black olives, cracked pepper and espresso mark the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is nicely silky and gently tannic on the lingering finish. Showing excellent balance and plenty of crowd appeal, it should drink well on release.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

 

In many wine areas throughout the world, there are a handful of individuals or families who make “the” wine for their particular region – winemakers who define the style of the region. When it comes to Valpolicella, the Dal Forno family does just that. For more than 30 years, Dal Forno has been producing deeply concentrated Valpolicella, Amarone and Recioto.

Romano Dal Forno , the current winemaker/owner, took over the farm in 1983. Risking everything, he invested a large amount in 1990 to update the winery and refine Dal Forno’s process. The extremely bold flavor of the Valpolicella Superiore is a great example of Dal Forno’s commitment to perfection and their respect for traditional winemaking. Just short of an Amarone, it’s made entirely with fruit that has been dried, though for less time than that legally required for Amarone. A key to the Dal Forno style seems to be an incredibly low yield from their vineyard: each bottle of Valpolicella takes six vines worth of grapes to produce!

Dal Forno in stock now: 

Dal Forno Romano Valpolicella Superiore 2013 750ml $94.50 special, 8 bottles in stock now
Decanter 97 points “From one of the most iconic wineries in the Orientale, this is aged for two years in oak and a further three in bottle. A proper meditation wine, great with game, strong cheeses or a cigar. It has a huge nose of stewed red fruits, ethereal bramble forest fruits and blackberry jam. Generous, with spicy, bitter cherry-stone freshness. Full-bodied with a rich, intense, spicy undertone.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “This is a terrific wine that stood out—and stood tall—despite the fact that it was tasted alongside some of Dal Forno’s most important vintages of the top-shelf Amarone. If that’s not a full-on recommendation, I don’t know what is…”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Dal Forno Romano Valpolicella Superiore 2015 750ml $119 special, 7 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 96 points “Such a profound nose of fresh and dried fruit with blackcurrants, dates and prunes, together with lighter notes of mild spice and pomegranate seeds. The fresher elements provide the drive on the full palate and, together with very fine, bright, fine-grained tannins, give a long, chewy yet fresh and pruney finish. Hugely concentrated, but the balance and poise is impeccable. There’s no denying the classic quality of this. Delicious to taste now, but this needs a few years to integrate. Try from 2025.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94+ points “The 2015 Valpolicella Superiore Monte Lodoletta is a towering wine that shows impeccable concentration, richness and tight balance. Between Romano and his sons, the Dal Forno family has amassed many years of experimentation and expertise, and they know exactly how to farm in a hot vintage like 2015 without compromising on freshness and structure. This wine opens to deep layers of black fruit, spice, smoky mesquite and campfire ash. It shows big tannic structure that comes with lots of fruit weight and textural padding. But no matter, this is a wine you’ll want to put aside before drinking.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

Dal Forno Romano Amarone 2011 750ml $369 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Decanter 99 points “The strongest wine in my selection, yet this magnificent Amarone’s alcohol is barely visible thanks to its astonishing depth, texture and sumptuousness… Beautifully crafted, as dignified as any grand Barolo.”
Ian D’Agata-Vinous 95+ points “Fully saturated ruby. Very deep, intense aromas of blackcurrant, plums macerated in alcohol, soy sauce, coffee and underbrush on the complex nose. Rich, dense and balanced, with nicely focused flavors of dark berries and aromatic herbs that have a noteworthy savory tang. The long finish features repeating hints of soy sauce, espresso and underbrush. Dal Forno’s is the recognized master of a uniquely powerful, ripe, and concentrated style of Amarone.”

Dal Forno Romano Amarone 2012 750ml $379 special, 14 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 97 points “A decadent nose of treacle tart, chocolate, tar, tons of black fruit such as blackberries and mulberries and even ash and licorice. A dense, layered mouthfeel makes for a full-bodied palate that’s explosive yet somehow so refined and pretty all at the same time. The finish goes on and on. Incredible now, but better to wait for this giant to settle well into 2020.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2012 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta is a beautifully complete wine, even at this young stage in its life… It has only just started its evolutionary journey.”
Decanter 96 points “…Exuberant, dense and chewy with peppery black fruit flavours, while showing some delicacy of aroma. Intense and will develop further, perhaps offering more power than grace. Andrew Jefford: It’s not showy on the nose but is super-attractive, and it just grows more so the more time you spend with it. On the palate it’s rich, deep, magnificently tannic and long – an absolutely unbridled Amarone, yet at the same time of extraordinary resonance, authority and subtlety. An Amarone masterclass! Monty Waldin: Its evident concentration really comes through on the palate, with a mix of smooth and slightly more savoury, drier tannins that mingle amicably under some ripely sweet red fruit, while finishing with a distinct brightness.”

Dal Forno Romano Amarone 2015 750ml $399 special, 12 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 100 points “This is black as pitch in the glass and, yes, there’s a light, tarry edge to the super-concentrated prune, date and currant fruit. But even more interesting are the complex notes of bitter-orange liqueur, aged balsamic, fresh roasting herbs, cinnamon, roasted chestnuts, black tea and licorice. The more you decant in advance, the more nuances will emerge. It’s full-boded with huge concentration and lots of chewy tannin that is managing to hold the fruit back for now. This needs plenty of time to develop in the bottle. Just superb. One of the greatest Dal Forno’s ever.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 97 points “The ultimate statement wine from northern Italy is the 2015 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta. The Dal Forno family skipped over the 2014 vintage, and this sunny vintage is worth the wait. Monte Lodoletta is always incredibly high in terms of fruit weight and tannins, but this edition from 2015 appears more integrated in terms of concentration and softer in terms of structure; it’s not that the wine is more accessible. It will hold the line for years and decades to come and promises to age gracefully. This vintage is instead more fleshed out and open-knit. The bouquet peels back with thick layers of black fruit, spice, campfire embers and toasted coffee bean. It’s an expensive bottle for collectors, but you get lots of bang for your buck.”
Wine Spectator 96 points “A rich red, with good tension and energy, displaying tightly meshed flavors of blackberry preserves, fig cake, espresso crema and singed sage coiled around a core of dense but fine tannins. Tea leaf, smoky earth and mineral notes chime on the long and chewy finish. Corvina, Rondinella, Oseleta and Croatina. Best from 2025 through 2045. 1,350 cases made, 250 cases imported. — AN”