96pts Decanter

This wine is a blend of 70 per cent Corvina with 20 per cent Rondinella and just 5 per cent each of Croatina and Oseleta. It’s deep black-red in colour, and is dark and forceful, sombre yet voluptuous in aroma: a harmonious weave of black chocolate, sloe and elderberry, with the years in oak bringing a cedary refinement. On the palate, it’s a vault of a wine: deep, dark and roomy, packed with earthy refinements and black-fruited echoes, both severe yet soft and enticing too. The tannins are ample yet fine-grained, the acidity delicate and sustaining. I wrote about the ‘crocodilian’ character of grand Veneto dried-fruit reds wine back in April, but the teeth are polished ivory here. This is horizon-altering ‘Valpolicella’ which would perform outstandingly in any Amarone tasting.

94pts James Suckling

A powerful and dense red with so much concentration of fruit and chocolate undertones. Hints of toasted oak. Full body and a velvety texture. Fantastic and dense red as usual. Drink now.

93pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2011 Valpolicella Superiore Monte Lodoletta is a darkly concentrated but carefully balanced expression that only the most expert vintner can pull off with success. Consider that the dry extract is a massive 48 grams per liter. In fact, there is some minor precipitation of color matter even at this relatively young age. This wine was aged in new oak for two years (instead of the standard three years) with four years bottle (instead of three). That extra year in glass served to help the wine integrate and to reduce micro-oxygenation. The bouquet is bright and fragrant with floral notes of rose and violet that are rare to find in Valpolicella. There are faint tertiary notes as well that add to the complexity. You will find cured leather and savory spice. The finish offers enough acidity to refresh the palate, following that considerable density and thickness.

93pts Wine & Spirits

This chewy, savory wine may be classified as Valpolicella Superiore, but it drinks more like an Amarone. That’s because it’s production process mirrors that of Dal Forno’s Amarone, except the grapes are harvested from younger vines and dried for 45 days instead of 90. Packed with flavors of black currant, cocoa powder and espresso, it feels dense and bloody, more solid than liquid, with grainy tannins that leave your gums tight minutes after each sip. A bright note of menthol pierces the curtain of tannins at the finish, suggesting herbal notes that will emerge over time. Lay this down for at least five years before opening for a slab of prime rib.

92pts Wine Spectator

Mulled cherry, spice box, dried rose and leather flavors are an aromatic entry to this rich and grippy Valpolicella. Full-bodied yet silky on the palate, with a long, saturated finish of fruit, tarry smoke and balsamic notes. Drink now through 2028.

Winemaker Notes

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 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 takes place in steel tanks at a controlled temperature of around 28°. The tanks 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.

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 barriques to mature for 24 months long.

Blend: 70% Corvina and Corvina grossa, 20% Rondinella, 5% Croatina, 5% Oseleta