Azienda Agricola Dal Forno Romano

When it was founded in 1983, Romano dal Forno laid the foundation for a winery whose reputation as the origin of fine wines would soon precede him. The then 26-year-old winemaker was inspired by a meeting with the legendary Giuseppe Quintarelli, who is often simply referred to as the "Maestro del Veneto", not only with regard to his top wines, each a masterpiece in its own way.

The fine wines from Quintarelli inspired the young Romano dal Forno so much that he dedicated himself to viticulture just four years later. Decades of hard work followed, during which the passionate winemaker implemented his ambitious plans with due care and passion.

Today, the winery, which is located in Illasi not far from the Valpolicella Classico zone, has over 35 hectares of vineyards and produces fine wines of first-class quality, which are traded as top wines worldwide. The family business is now run by Romano dal Forno and his sons Luca, Marco and Michele, who, as vintners, have also turned their love of wine into a profession.

Production area, soil and grape varieties: the trio that contributes to the uniqueness of Dal Forno wines

It is no coincidence that Veneto is considered to be the ideal growing area for first-class wine. The soils, which primarily consist of alluvial soil, are rocky, pebbly and stony. They are either of volcanic origin or based on chalk. The immediate location at the foot of the Alps protects the young vines from the often inhospitable climatic conditions in northern Europe. Here in the coastal plains of the Adriatic is the cradle of famous red wines such as Amarone, Bardolino and Valpolicella.

The grape varieties grown include Croatina, Rondinelle, Corvina and Oselet. The production figures are manageable and range between around 50,000 and 80,000 bottles a year.

Winery and Wines: Characteristics of the Azienda Agricola Dal Forno Romano

In addition to all the advantages that the cultivation area brings with it, the great success of the fine wines from Veneto can also be explained by the cultivation and production methods of the winegrowers around owner Romano dal Forno. A successful combination of traditional methods and technical achievements form the foundation on which the aromatic wine can thrive.

The harvest is processed in the three-storey cellar, which is also used to store countless barriques. In order to keep the temperature and humidity constant, owner Romano dal Forno came up with something very special: installing huge fans over the drying grapes. The handcrafted stainless steel tanks are located in the neoclassical wine chamber around 15 meters below ground.

The wines produced here are characterized by a high concentration and compression of the aromas. For example, factors such as low yields, a late harvest and drying of the berries. In addition to the natural conditions and progressive procedures already mentioned, we owe these described innovative ways.

Romano Dal Forno: Wines that have been given cult status by connoisseurs

Experience confirms that success in viticulture depends to a large extent on the inventiveness and creativity of the respective winemaker. Although technical skill and basic knowledge play an important role, if there is a lack of passion, even winegrowers who are experienced in the industry often only produce mediocre wines.

However, as described, the situation is different with the products of Romano dal Forno and his family. Here the spark of an insatiable passion was ignited by another wine lover, in this case a true luminary in the art of viticulture.

The tremendous power of such an "infection" should not be underestimated. Proof is the groundbreaking success story of Romano dal Forno himself, who is in no way inferior to his role model, the Amarone icon Giuseppe Quintarelli, when it comes to wine production. The focus is on two to three wines a year: an Amarone, a Valpolicella and sometimes also a sweet Recioto, all of which are “connoisseurs’ items” for friends of unforgettable wines of first-class quality.

Putting into words the taste of the wines of the new "master" of Veneto is always tantamount to a limitation. In short: If you would like to get the most realistic impression possible of the timeless cult character of these lovers' drops for gourmets, then there is only one taste that takes all vintages of the innovative winery Azienda Agricola Dal Forno Romano into account.