Editors notes
Fontodi is a producer in the Chianti Classico region of Tuscany. Known for their super tuscan's, and their typical style of a full-bodied Sangiovese.
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Critic Scores & reviews
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The Wine Advocate
98"I'm hardly surprised to report that Fontodi's 2015 Flaccianello della Pieve is one of the best wines recorded in this report of new releases from Tuscany. This wine sits as tall and as proud as the Colosseum in Rome or the Pyramids of Giza in its undeniable glory and beauty. It would be impossible to exaggerate its many lasting attributes and qualities. Perhaps the most remarkable is the smooth and seamless nature of its many complicated moving parts. It produces abundant power, intensity and elegance as if this were the easiest accomplishment in the world. But we all know that's far from the truth. Despite the heat of the vintage, this wine is constructed with firm building blocks as if it were from a cooler year. That's the Panzano magic in a nutshell. This vintage is very young and tight, and you need to exercise patience to allow it enough time to evolve."
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Gary Walsh
97"It's a suave beast of a wine, so dense, oaky, yes, but takes it in its stride. Dark cherry, violet and vanilla custard, new leather and dried herbs. Full-bodied, thick and luxurious, suede and velvet tannin so thick, you can almost stroke it with your tongue. Rich fruit, freshness and savoury flavour, black forest cake too, all rolling and surging through the mouth with a superb long finish, black tea and perfume trailing in its wake. Texture and impact are its calling cards. If you're a tannin hound, you could drink this now, but the best is yet to come."
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Locations
Italy
Italy has some of the oldest wine production methods in the world and almost every part of the country is planted under vine. From the Alps in the north to the very southernmost parts of Sicily where Africa is almost in sight, wine is successfully cultivated. In addition to the latitude covered, Italy's many mountains and hills provide a plethora of altitudes for grape growing in various soils and micro-climates. The extensive coastlines along the peninsula that is Italy provide maritime climates for the coastal wine-growing areas. Over 350 grape varieties are 'authorised' in Italy, though up to 550 varieties are thought to be grown.
The classification system of Italian wines has four classes, with the intention of defining a wine's origin a quality. Two of these classes are table wines, whilst DOC and DOCG fall under the EU quality wine produced in a specific region category. Vino da Tavola (VDT) means that the wine comes from Italy. Most of these wines are generally basic table wines that are consumed domestically. Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) denotes a more specific region within Italy, and the resultant will be of higher quality than simple table wines, but won't conform to the rules required for higher certification. Both Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) and Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) are regionally more specific than IGT, and have stricter rules regarding the grape varieties grown, yields per hectare, minimum alcohol levels and so on. The major difference between DOC and DOCG is that the latter has to undergo a blind-tasting session to ensure the highest quality is achieved. Italy has 32 DOCG appelations, 311 DOC appelations and 120 IGT zones.
Key regions include Piedmont, Tuscany, Abruzzo, Veneto, Sicily and Sardinia. Common white varieties grown are Pinot Grigio, Arneis, Vermentino, Verdicchio, Fiano and Moscato. The red varieties grown the most are Sangiovese, Barbera, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo, Montepulciano, Primitivo, Nero d'Avola and Corvina.
Tuscany
Tuscany is the oldest wine region in Italy, with a long history dating back over 2700 years. The region is on the Western coast of Italy, stretching from the coastline of the Tyrrhenian Sea all the way to the Apennine mountains, with the majority of the region being quite hilly.
Contributing to around 6% of Italy's total wine output, Tuscany is the third most planted region, but only the eight biggest producer. Much of this can be attributed to the hilly terroir and poor soils leading to lower yields, but generally higher quality wines. The region produces far more red than white wine, and is responsible for two of the most famous Italian red wines, Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino.
Chianti was first classified in 1716, and the region of Tuscany now has 29 DOC and 7 DOCG classifications. In the 1970s 'Super Tuscan' wines emerged of supreme quality, commanding very high prices. Although they were initially produced outside the DOC or DOCG zones, most of the regions have since been classified, though some producers still opt to use the simpler and less restrictive IGT labelling.
The famous red wine Chianti is based on the the Sangiovese variety, though is most commonly blended with Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon. The blending of multiple grapes is common, even Bordeaux blends can be found. White wines produced include Vermentino, Vernaccia, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay.
Chianti Classico
The Chianti Classico is a subregion of Tuscany, Italy, covering approximately 260 square kilometers. It is situated between the ancient cities of Florence to the north and Siena to the south. The area is known for producing some of the best Sangiovese-based wines, which are medium-bodied with medium to high acidity and firm tannins.
The Classico area is composed of four communes - Castellina in Chianti, Gaiole in Chianti, Greve in Chianti, and Radda in Chianti. These communes are entirely located within the Chianti Classico subregion, and each contributes to the unique character and style of the wines produced.
The region's soils are weathered sandstone and bluish-gray chalky marlstone, which contribute to the varied range of wines produced. The altitude, ranging from 250 to 610 meters, also adds to the complexity of the wines. Chianti Classico wines are typically fragrant, elegant, and display flavors of cherries, plums, and spices. They are excellent with a wide range of foods, but especially with pizza.
The region produces over 8 million cases of wines classified as DOC level or above. This is a testament to the quality of the wines produced in this region, which have earned a well-deserved reputation for excellence. Chianti Classico wines offer so much character and interest that they are well worth exploring for wine lovers and connoisseurs alike.
About the brand Fontodi
Fontodi is an iconic Tuscan producer, whose wines typically sell out quickly. Fontodi is a certified organic estate located in the heart of Chianti Classico precisely in the valley which lies south of the town of Panzano and is called the 'Conca d’Oro' (the golden shell) because of its amphitheatre shape.
This genuine Terroir has been famous for centuries for its tradition of quality wine cultivation, thanks to a unique combination of high altitude, calcar clayschist soil, lots of light, and a fantastic micro-climate.
‘Giovanni Manetti's 2010s will one day be regarded as some of his greatest wines. From top to bottom, the Fontodi 2010s are superb. In particular, over the last few years I have been increasingly impressed with the Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna del Sorbo...’ -Antonio Galloni, August 2012
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