2014 Dal Forno Valpolicella Superiore DOC

WSI94+ JS95 A beautiful, polished red with dried-berry, plum, floral and cedar aromas. Full body and a flavorful finish. Extremely refined and polished, more so than many past vintages. Already gorgeous, but needs a year or two to come together. Better after 2022.
VIN94 The 2014 is a unique rendition of Dal Forno’s Valpolicella Superiore Monte Lodoletta. It’s a remarkably pretty wine, displaying crushed ripe strawberries and plums with cinnamon, clove, vanilla bean and a cooling hint of mint. The textures are velvety, coating all that they touch in glycerol fruit concentration, yet somehow coming across as zesty and spry, contrasting weight with saturating notes of tart blackberry and savory spice. There’s a bit of a lull in the midpalate, yet it hardly takes away from the experience. At times, the Monte Lodoletta can seem almost salty, especially through its long, mouthwatering finish, where hints of cherry pits and herbs linger. This atypical yet truly enjoyable expression is the result of the extremely difficult 2014 vintage, when hail damaged and reduced the crop in the lower-elevation vineyards, followed by rain from August through September. As a result, Dal Forno decided not to produce their Amarone, and to instead focus all of their attention on the Valpolicella. The result is a wine that no Dal Forno fan should miss, but be aware that production was down 30% from an average year.
Estate Notes: From September 10 – October 22, the finest bunches of grapes are selected, after which a meticulous manual control is carried out to eliminate all grapes that do not meet the standards required. The selected grapes are then placed in a plastic plateaux and are then left to rest for 45 days in large open rooms, where an innovative ventilation system helps maintain an elevated and thorough air flow.
Fermentation: Fermentation takes place in steel tanks at a controlled temperature of around 28°C, which are equipped with a sophisticated computerized system which allows for automated punching for a period of around 15 days, including the final maceration which takes two days.
Aging: After the racking process, the Valpolicella rests for a few days in stainless steel tanks which, thanks to their particular shape, allows for easy decantation and, subsequently, is placed in new barrels to mature for 24 months, followed by 36 months in bottle.
Blend: 70% Corvina and Corvina grossa, 20% Rondinella, 5% Croatina, and 5% Oseleta.