2018 Dal Forno Romano Amarone della Valpolicella

96 POINTS: The nose opens with a lightly earthy, phenolic character before unleashing wonderfully fresh aromas of crushed wild berries. The palate is tightly packed and mineral-driven, firmly structured with very fine tannins that emphasise length over breadth at this current stage of its evolution. All the power is reserved for a punchy, terroir-driven finish. The 2018 vintage was cool and wet, but fruit picked late in September – after the final rains – achieved beautiful balance and ripeness. While it is just entering its drinking window now, this is a wine that will benefit tremendously from further bottle age.