One of the most famous estates in Tuscany, and Italy, Fontodi is a byword for excelence in Chianti Classico and a powerful, intense and delicious expression of Sangiovese.
A deep red coloured wine, this has a nose full of cherry, kirsch, leather and tobacco, leading to a palate of sweet and sour cherry, spice and perfume, with juicy ripe tannins, powerful intensity and a long, silky-smooth finish.There are not many Chianti Classicos made in this mould.
This wine is taken from some of the younger vines in the estate, but all are over 10 years of age, and some are over 25 years old, making this intense, taught and powerful while retaining freshness and charm. The wine is aged in French oak barriques, that have a low level of toasting, for 18 months and then moved to second-use barrels for a further six months before bottling. At this stage the wine rests again for another six months before being released to market.
Now at nearly seven years old, this Chianti is approaching its purple plateau in terms of its development - the tannins are all softening and the maturing spice flavours are fully integrated. This is a superb opportunity to try maturing, fine and impressive Chianti.
The Manetti family who own the Fontodi estate have lived in the Chianti region for centuries, developing skill and understanding of the region's climate, soil and grape varieties. They bought the Fotodi estate in 1968 and have turned it into one of the leading lights in all of Italian winemaking, especially in Chianti.
They have 107 hectares of vineyards, 90% of which are Sangiovese, and most of this area is situated in a south-facing natural amphitheatre of hillside vineyards, the famed 'Conca d'Oro' or 'golden shell' in the village Panzano. This gives the vines near perfect ripening and growing conditions, endowing the wines with elegance, power, intensity and balance. The balance comes from the altitude, which bring cool nighttime temperatures, allowing the grapes to ripen fully, while retaining acidity and perfumed aromatic characteristics. The soils are free-draining too, which has allowed the family, led by Giovanni since 1980, to convert to Bio-dynamic principles.
Region: Chianti Classico
Country: Italy
Grape(s): Sangiovese
Style: Svelte, Smooth, Silky, Perfumed, Organic, Medium Bodied, Iconic, Elegant, Complex, Balanced
Best food matches: Venison, Steak, Roasts, Red Meats, Mature Cheeses, Lamb, Hard Cheeses, Game, Fine Dining, Duck
Alcohol: 14.5%
