2004 Vigna Sere
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Tasting Notes
Dal Forno needs little introduction. For Robert Parker “anyone who has tasted a Dal Forno offering realizes this is the reference point for prodigious Valpolicella and Amarone” as they are “the product of a true genius”. Despite the deserved fame of their Amarone, according to the estate it is the Vigna Sere which “Without a doubt… represents the jewel in the crown of our winery”. Made from specially selected grapes which are dried for a full four months, and which therefore yield minuscule amounts of juice, the production is of course tiny. For Galloni, who has been lucky enough to taste it many times it “has never been anything less than spellbinding” while Monica Larner calls it “a masterpiece that is impossible to repeat”. As Monica Larner notes, even if a new vintage were to be produced, we’d have to wait another thirteen years to “enjoy this level of maturity and evolution” – meaning that if you want to experience this magical wine any time soon, the 2004 is the one to own. The Vigna Sere will go perfectly with some powerful blue cheese or a delicious chocolate pudding during the coming festive season. It is a rare and amazing opportunity to move into 2020 with one of the most beautiful sweet wines ever made.
Critic Scores
Average Score
Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2004 Passito Rosso Vino Dolce Vigna Seré (500-mililiter) is a masterpiece that is impossible to repeat. In fact, the wine has not been produced since 2004. Even if a vintage as good as this did come along, we'd need to wait another 13 years before we could enjoy this level of maturity and evolution. Formally a Recioto della Valpolicella, this sweet red wine is made with air-dried fruit as local tradition dictates. Luckily no botrytis set in that year, because that would have eroded the wine's deep and luscious color saturation. The bouquet delivers a generous flow of dark spice, bitter chocolate, espresso, raisin, plum, barbecue spice and teriyaki smoke. The concentration and layering of the wine are both rare and distinctive. The mouthfeel sees sweet flavors with a syrupy mouthfeel. The finish offers hints of caramelized brown sugar and savory hickory. The aging window is impossible to predict, but the wine is surely built to last. I can think of no other wine that comes close to matching this unique style.
The 2004 Vigna Serè is the perfect conclusion to a vintage that will go down as one of Dal Forno's most magical. Sweet, silky tannins support layers of super-refined, elegant fruit in this magical sweet red. Mocha, espresso, new leather, raspberry jam and spices emerge with time in the glass, but this is really a wine that shows off textural finesse more than anything else. I have tasted this wine many times since it was in barrel and later in bottle. It has never been anything less than spellbinding. It is one of the most magical sweet dessert wines I have ever tasted. At eight years of age the 2004 remains a an infant.
About the producer
Along with Giuseppe Quintarelli, Dal Forno Romano makes the best wines in the Veneto. The history of Dal Forno Romano, however, is much shorter, and its rise to fame much faster.