Fontodi is saying that its ’16 Chianti Classico drinks like a “baby Flaccianello,” and we have to agree: this wine reflects its banner vintage in its sheer finesse, its breathtaking balance between its juicy fruits and its savory earthiness, and its tensions between its copious dry extract and its keen acidity. Smokey minerals, warm earth, crushed violet petals, tobacco wrapper and licorice wrap the crisp red berries and lush blue fruits in this spellbinding Chianti Classico. Chewy tannins flesh out the wine’s silky, energetic palate, while satisfying savory notes anchor the lingering, complex and textured finish. An outstanding Chianti Classico, Fontodi’s 2016 will drink gorgeously out of the gate, but it has the stuffing to cellar for mid-term enjoyment. This mono-varietal Sangiovese derives from multiple vineyard sites; the grapes ferment for two weeks with natural yeasts in temperature-controlled tanks, and the wine ages in barrels for eighteen months before bottling.
- Country: Italy
- Region: Toscana
- Sub-region: Firenze
- Commune/Village: Panzano
Tenuta Fontodi is Chianti's class act: Her renowned crus are the Super Tuscan Flaccianello and the Sangiovese-Cabernet Sauvignon favorite Vigna del Sorbo, while her Chianti Classico is unflinchingly reliable. Winemaking in the timeless land of Chianti Classico dates back to the 8th century, and the term “Chianti” was applied to wine as far back as 1398: Tenuta Fontodi is one of many existing estates that can trace their lineage back to these historic times. Fontodi is an all-time favorite of IWM and any Tuscan wine enthusiast.
In the 17 published editions of Gambero Rosso, Italy’s acclaimed wine rating guide, this Tuscan estate has won the coveted Tre Bicchieri (Three Glasses) award 13 times. And like the other greats of Chianti Classico (Felsina, Querciabella, Castell'in Villa...), they did it by revealing the true essence of the Sangiovese grape and the local terroir. They maintain tradition even when updating equipment; in fact, the new cantina works entirely on the gravity principle (no pumps) though it is fitted with the latest vinification technology.
Resting near Panzano in the epicenter of Toscana's viticulture, Fontodi's vines enjoy a southern aspect, a position in a natural amphitheatre, and marl soil. These optimum conditions allow the grapes to ripen perfectly, therefore creating wines of great character and structure. The natural potential of the grapes combined with the leadership of Marco and Giovanni Manetti (cousins who are sons of the 1968 visionaries) makes for perfection in winemaking. The estate dates back to the 16th century, but her modern era started in 1968 when the Manettis, a Florentine family famous for more than three centuries for their terracotta production, purchased the estate.
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