1998 Dal Forno Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG

Regular price $500.00

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The 1998 Dal Forno Romano Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG (Monte Lodoletta) is one of the benchmark Amarones of the modern era—a monumental wine that helped cement Romano Dal Forno's reputation alongside Giuseppe Quintarelli as one of Valpolicella's greatest producers. Nearly three decades after harvest, a well-stored bottle remains capable of delivering an unforgettable experience.

Deep garnet with only slight brick at the rim, the wine opens with an explosive bouquet of black cherry preserves, dried plum, fig paste, blackberry compote, dark chocolate, espresso, tobacco leaf, leather, licorice, balsamic herbs, and exotic spices. With air, tertiary nuances of truffle, cedar, forest floor, dried flowers, and cocoa powder emerge, revealing extraordinary complexity.

The palate is remarkably concentrated yet impeccably balanced. Layers of black fruits, Amarena cherry, dates, bittersweet chocolate, roasted coffee bean, allspice, and mineral notes unfold across a velvety texture. Despite its immense richness—often exceeding 16% alcohol—the wine carries surprising freshness thanks to vibrant acidity and Dal Forno's meticulous vineyard management. The tannins, once massive, have evolved into a polished but still commanding structure that carries the wine effortlessly through an exceptionally long finish.

Unlike many Amarones that emphasize sweetness, Dal Forno sought a drier, more precise style, allowing the concentration from the appassimento process to express itself without becoming heavy or cloying. The result is a wine of immense power that retains remarkable definition and elegance.

Robert Parker awarded the 1998 96 points, calling it "a supreme example" of Amarone, praising its luxurious aromatics, immense concentration, and harmonious balance, while Wine Spectator rated it 95 points, highlighting its complexity and extraordinary length.

Shipping Policy

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Unless your delivery address is on the West Coast, we strongly discourage you from selecting “Ground Service” as your shipping method. During the winter and summer months, weather conditions (temperature) and longer delivery times can often result in the spoilage of your order. It doesn’t make sense to invest in fine wines and then take the chance of ruining them due environmental factors during transit (faster and safer delivery generally isn’t much more expensive). We don’t make an additional profit on accelerated delivery, but we frequently recommend faster shipping options to our customers outside the West Coast.
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During periods of extreme weather, we attempt to ship wines at the beginning of each week in order to get shipments to you before the weekend. This is because we have no control over the temperature conditions at our freight carriers’ warehouses. The result may be that your shipment doesn’t go out the day that you place an order.
We ship by Fedex or Fedex Ground. Our prices include packaging materials. Insurance may be available for an additional charge.
Vintage Wine Merchants, Inc. will arrange for shipment on behalf of the buyer, to an address specified by the buyer, provided that Vintage Wine Merchants, Inc. in its sole judgment believes that such shipment will not subject Vintage Wine Merchants, Inc. to the risk of any sort of legal action or other harm. If a buyer lives in a state where the direct shipment of wine by Vintage Wine Merchants, Inc. violates the law, we suggest that the buyer provide an alternative address in another state or have their wine shipped to a third-party storage facility in a direct shipping-friendly state.
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