Exclusive Dal Forno Romano Luxury Tasting with Winemaker Marco Dal Forno
- Posted on
- By Tim Graham
- Posted in Amarone, Dal Forno, Dal Forno Romano, italy, Passito, Valpolicella, Veneto
Some wine events are memorable. A very small number are rare. On Tuesday, March 3rd, the Wine Wave is honored to host Marco Dal Forno, the visionary force behind Dal Forno Romano, widely regarded as one of the greatest wineries in Italy. This is a rare, limited-seating experience designed for serious wine lovers, collectors, and those who want to understand what relentless quality, patience, and vision look like in practice.
To taste the wines of Dal Forno Romana with Marco himself is a rare opportunity to engage directly with the driving force of the winery, with Marco offering insight into his vineyards, philosophy, and the relentless standards that have brought the winery global acclaim.
This is not a walk-thru tasting. It is an immersive experience meant to award curiosity, attentiveness, and respect for the craft. To preserve the intimacy of the evening and allow for meaningful interaction, seating is strictly limited. Once capacity is reached, no additional seats will be released.
Dal Forno Romano
The Dal Forno family has been making wine since 1983. Established by Romano dal Forno, the winery is now run by his son Marco, with his father Romano always by his side as a guide. Located in Val D’Illasi, the estate has 34 hectares of vineyards, each planted with traditional indigenous varieties including Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Oseleta and Croatina. The estate vineyards and farm are located where the slopes begin to rise toward the mountains and sit 1,000 feet above sea level. The Dal Fornos use traditional methods to grow the finest fruit and then employ modern techniques to produce the best wines — classic in expression and modern in purity. Dal Forno Romano is well-known for their world-class Valpolicella and Amarone.
Romano Dal Forno was born in 1957 in Capovilla, a few kilometers from Illasi, where his family has been managing and tending their vineyards for four generations now.
At the age of 22, having recently married Loretta, Romano met Giuseppe Quintarelli, one of the leading figures in the production of the highest quality wines in Valpolicella and Italy. This proved to be a key encounter for both his future and that of the company.
Bepi Quintarelli, the undisputed master of Amarone, instructed Romano Dal Forno on a new way of making wine and managing vineyards, impressing upon him the importance of focusing on quality, rather than quantity. Throughout these years, Romano Dal Forno relied on his sons -- Luca, Michele and Marco -- and their crucial help in running the company. Since 2020, Marco Dal Forno has been solely responsible for all production stages, assisted, as always, by his father Romano.
The Vineyards
The estate vineyards and farm are located where the slopes begin to rise toward the mountains and sit 1,000 feet above sea level. The loose, alluvial soils, meticulous pruning, and scrupulous viticultural techniques ensure remarkable quality grapes.
The Dal Forno family has slowly added more estate vineyards over the years, reaching 84 acres in total under vine, 44 of which are owned. The vineyards are planted with Corvina, Corvinone, Croatina, Rondinella, and Oseleta. Molinara, a varietal historically typical in the production of Amarone, is not used.
Compared to many others in Valpolicella, there is an extremely high-density planting of vines (nearly 5,300 vines per acre) and a very low yield per vine, producing concentrated varietal expressions.
Winemaking
In the summers, a green harvest is made, cutting the lower part of each bunch, which typically does not ripen as well as the upper part of the bunch.
The grape harvest is a time when the Dal Forno family gathers to work in the vineyard with a religious conviction. Harvesting is done at the moment of perfect maturity of the grapes.
Each grape is carefully checked. Those that are either infected with botrytis or have any imperfection that would undermine the freshness of the wine are removed.
The harvested grapes are brought to the cellar to dry. Here, Romano has developed an original and unique drying system. The drying room has several large fans, placed on sliding tracks, circulating air up and down the stacks of drying grapes. Every fifteen minutes, the fans invert the direction of the airflow to ensure consistency.
The winemaking process features many innovations. The tanks and the press are designed with a vacuum system. The objective of winemaking is freshness, and much attention is given to avoiding oxidation during the entire wine-making process.
Marco Dal Forno - Proprietor and Winemaker
Marco Dal Forno was born on February 2, 1984 in the village of Tregnago, close to his family's wine estate, just a year after the first vintage ever produced by his father Romano.
Since childhood, Marco's memories have been linked to the vineyard and the winery, accompanying his father Romano in all his daily activities.
Marco graduated from the Istituto Tecnico Agrario di Lonigo, in nearby Vicenza, and from there continued his training in the family winery. Together with his brothers Michele and Luca, under the supervision of their father Romano, Marco has been running the company, dealing mainly with the production side.
Since 2020, Marco has been solely responsible for the entire winery, supported, as always, by his father Romano. Animated by infinite curiosity, Marco is driven by an insatiable curiosity and frequently travels the world to meet the best winemakers and visit their vineyards.
The Dal Forno Romano Tasting Lineup
2012 Dal Forno Romano Vigneto Monte Lodoletta Valpolicella Superiore - $157.97
2018 Dal Forno Romano Vigneto Monte Lodoletta Valpolicella Superiore - $149.97
2019 Dal Forno Romano Vigneto Monte Lodoletta Valpolicella Superiore - $149.97
2006 Dal Forno Romano Vigneto Monte Lodoletta Amarone della Valpolicella - $499.97
2008 Dal Forno Romano Vigneto Monte Lodoletta Amarone della Valpolicella - $499.97
2009 Dal Forno Romano Vigneto Monte Lodoletta Amarone della Valpolicella - $499.97
The Details
Date: Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Time: 7 PM
Price: $195 per guest
Space: Extremely Limited
If you have admired Dal Forno wines from afar...
If you have cellared these wines but never met the mind behind them...
If you believe great wine is the result of conviction, not compromise...
This is your invitation!
Seating is extremely limited, secure your place for this unforgettable tasting experience
