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. - Monica Larner

A Recioto in all but name, as Dal Forno withdrew from the appellation after the 2003 was rejected by the Consorzio for its atypical astringency. This is a profound sweet red wine that will probably live forever. The superb floral nose features violet lift, with a macerated cherry character in the mouth which heralds plum, crushed berries and sweet spice. This is so well balanced it's almost savoury in nature, the clean line of acidity sweeping away all before it. There's some creaminess on the finish, reminding you of its startling youth.

Cellar Selection. Labeled as “air-dried sweet red wine” instead of its traditional name “Recioto,” this is indeed a powerful and generous wine. It boasts huge density and superintense aromas of blackberry, oak spice and tobacco. Keep it for your cellar.