The Dal Forno family has been making wine since 1983. Located in Val D’Illasi, the estate consists of 65 acres of vines planted to traditional indigenous varieties of 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 loose, alluvial soils, meticulous pruning and scrupulous viticultural techniques ensure remarkable-quality grapes. 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.

The 2017 vintage saw a succession of unforeseen weather events that caused moments of concern, starting with
the scarcity of rain that plagued Valpolicella and the surrounding area. Unlike the usual 1000-1200 mm of water
per year, 2017 closed with a total of less than 700 mm, concentrated almost exclusively towards the end of the
year. Drip irrigation made it possible to keep the vegetative state of the vineyard healthy, preventing water stress.

Secondly, the spring was very mild, with higher-than-average temperatures from March until mid-April, favoring an early vegetative recovery. However, around April 20th, a sudden drop in temperatures caused a total collapse in production in the lowland areas of the region. The estate’s vineyards were not affected by the frost but still suffered from the low temperatures of the unfortunate week.

After a smooth summer, the countryside was hit by a violent hailstorm on September 2nd, resulting in a 45% loss of production. Long and painstaking work on the selection of the grapes in plateaux resulted in a high quality production, albeit very small.

In conclusion, despite the difficulties encountered throughout the year, the outcome is a vintage that is qualitatively in line with the average.