2010 was ‘one of my father's favourite vintages, but very difficult,’ explained Marco Dal Forno, as they had to drop six hectare's-worth of fruit on the ground. The result, however, was a wine of incredible concentration and complexity. Medicinal and slightly herbaceous with some bold hedgerow berry aromas and floral, dried fruit overtones, this is bigger, richer and stickier than the 2004 tasted on the same day. There's a woody structure evident, but it's overlaid by floral notes and plush cocoa and black cherry. A streak of menthol lends welcome freshness and extends the long, long finish. The 2010 is due to be re-released by the estate in 2024 as a library vintage.

Aromas of roses and other flowers with a deep fruit intensity. Full-bodied, dense and ultra-fine with a beautiful texture. Lots of new wood now but this will amalgamate with time into the wine. Fabulous potential. Drink or hold.

Intense and concentrated, bitter cola, cocoa bean, chocolate, espresso, grilled and smoked cassis, lovely bright lift on the finish, a push and pull of bitterness, sweetness and salinity. Marco dal Forno director at this 34ha estate.

This was an excellent vintage in much of Italy, but unfortunately the weather was not as pleasant in this specific area of the Valpolicella. The season saw a lot of rain, and a good amount of fruit was cut and left on the ground because it could not be used. Considering these difficulties, Michele Dal Forno tells me he is "more than happy with the results." I tasted the 2010 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta next to the 2009 vintage, and having these two wines side by side reinforces just how different they are. The 2010 vintages is sharper, more pointed and direct in comparison, and there is a tiny point of sourness on the close. This wine does not reach the same threshold for fullness, density or richness. It does come close. The wine's residual sugar measures between 5 and 6 grams per liter, which is normal for this wine, and the bouquet is redolent of familiar black fruit, raisin and spice. However, the wine feels a bit stuck in its tracks at the moment and is evidently experiencing a shy phase in its evolution. It has retreated. - Monica Larner

Like a gymnast, this focused red shows both power and grace. Finely meshed flavors of blackberry puree, fig cake and Earl Grey tea leaf are framed by refined, dusty tannins, with a lasting finish expands on the palate with spice and smoky mineral details. Drink now through 2030. 450 cases imported. –AN

The 2010 Amarone della Valpolicella is an elegant beauty, with cooling herbal tones and cloves embellishing baked cherries and hints of incense. This opens with a lovely inner sweetness, its ripe red and black fruits energized by vibrant acidity. Violet florals and suggestions of cocoa swirl throughout. The 2010 finishes long—still slightly tannic yet coming into its own, leaving a mentholated freshness and a tinge of cinnamon spice that lingers on. While this is made in the older style of Dal Forno, sporting just over six grams-per-liter of residual sugar, 17% alcohol and 100% American oak, the balance is absolutely perfect. -- Eric Guido