2009 Amarone della Valpolicella, Dal Forno Romano, Veneto, Italy

The 2009 Amarone della Valpolicella is one of the most sexy, open-knit young Dal Forno Amarones I can remember tasting. An enticing mélange of mocha, black cherry, bittersweet chocolate and leather captivates the senses. Incredibly open today, the 2009 can be enjoyed with minimal cellaring or aged for twenty years, perhaps beyond.Although the 2009 doesn't quite reach the heights of the truly epic vintages here, it comes very close and will provide considerable pleasure sooner than many of those wines. I don't think I have ever tasted a young Dal Forno Amarone with this much allure.Drink 2016 - 2029 antonio_galloni, Vinous.com (July 2015)

A remarkable vintage, with an early spring and very warm summer, producing grapes with potential sugar levels second only to 2003. As you may expect, then, this wine is bursting with plush, sweet red and black fruits; so tight and grippy as to be almost impenetrable at present. There is some cherry, herb and spirity damson towards the finish, but that really is just the tip of the iceberg.Drink 2021 - 2048james_button, Decanter.com (March 2018)

This is powerful and very rich with blueberries, flowers and hints of spices. Full body with velvety tannins and ripe fruits. Very beautiful and generous but not overdone. Superb.james_suckling, jamessuckling_com (April 2015)

The Dal Forno family considered releasing their Amarone ten years after the harvest. If that plan had been implemented, this would be the vintage on the market now. The 2009 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta is a full and generous expression that delivers thick lines and robust flavours of dried blackberry, camphor ash, exotic cedar wood, liquorice and tarry road pavement. This vintage saw average temperatures throughout the growing season, with a few hailstorms. Very dry weather led to some mild drought in July and August, with ensuing ripening and concentration of the clusters. I found this monumental wine irresistible when I first tasted it five years ago, and it has improved since then. This is one of the most complete and comprehensive vintages produced at Dal Forno, and it gives us an ample 360-degree view of the might, brawn and potential of this icon wine from the Veneto. Its evolutionary track shows no sign of slowing down. Drink 2019 - 2045monica_larner, Wine Advocate (September 2019)

Almost impenetrably deep, purple ruby. Intensely brooding, savoury fruit. Richly concentrated and intense, but not overpoweringly so. Richly tannic while all falls into place on the finish. Long, balanced and endless, really.Drink 2020 - 2032 Walter Speller, JancisRobinson.com (March 2018)