A Snapshot of Fontodi’s greatest wines: Flaccianello & Vigna del Sorbo
Located in one of the prime time Conca d’Oro positions in the south-west oriented, amphitheater shaped slopes below the hilltop village of Panzano, Fontodi is a certified organic estate which extends over 130 hectares of which about 70 are planted with vines. The type of agriculture practiced is inspired by the principles of respect for nature and sustainability. Not only are no chemical products used but there is an effort to maximize the internal resources of the estate, thereby reducing the need for any external input. Respecting the environment means wines that are better, purer, and a truer expression of the grape and the territory and today this is a Certified Organic and Biodynamic winery.
The history of Fontodi dates to 1968 when Dino Manetti purchased the property. Wine grapes, however, had been grown on the property since the time of the Roman Empire. In 1979 Dino’s son Giovanni joined the family business and around the same time the highly esteemed winemaker Franco Barnabei was hired as a consultant. Giovanni is so passionate about Sangiovese that it pulses through his veins. Together they have transformed Fontodi into one of the most prolific, legendary wineries is Tuscany, modifying and improving their practices nearly every vintage in their quest to produce the most profound wines imaginable. To this end, they have succeeded in spades. While the estate grows a variety of grapes, some indigenous, some international, their focus remains on expressing the ultimate expression of Sangiovese.
In the realm of their pure Sangiovese expressions, they currently produce five different bottlings:
• Chianti Classico DOCG, Filetta di Lamole – sourced from grapes grown on a separate property located a few miles east of the main estate. Small production, approximately 25,000 bottles produced annually.
• Chianti Classico DOCG, Fontodi – sourced from grapes grown in the main estate, large production, approximately 170,000 bottles produced annually.
• Chianti Classico Grand Selezione DOCG, Terrazze San Leolino – A new release introduced in 2019, miniscule production of a mere 5,000 bottles.
• Chianti Classico Grand Selezione DOCG, Vigna del Sorbo – one of Fontodi’s top bottlings that some feel merits their flagship designation, it has a long history dating back to 1985 when it was first bottled, However, Chianti Classico Riserva dates back to the acquisition of the winery and from the late 60s to the mid 80s is was simply labeled Riserva. Produced from grapes grown in a namesake vineyard plot, 25,000 bottles are produced annually.
• Colli Toscana Centrale IGT, Flaccianello delle Pieve – the other bottling currently vying for flagship designation and in my opinion the wine that deserves such a lofty title. 60,000 bottles are produced annually.
This article features aged bottlings of their top two wines: Vigna del Sorbo & Flaccianello. You can argue until you’re blue in the face as to which is their true flagship wine, but I believe they both represent world class winemaking and Sangiovese at it highest level of expression. Enjoy!
2010 Fontodi, Chianti Classico Grand Selezione, Vigna del Sorbo (RT96+?) The deeply ruby hued 2010 Vigna del Sorbo is reductive on first pour and it takes some time for it to blow off, so my suggestion is to decant it if you are opening a bottle soon. Once the reductive notes have blown off however, it conveys notes of black cherry, sous bois, wet gravel, hints of cinnamon, Tuscan scuff and notes of French oak. The aromatics remain a bit awkward at this stage of its bottle development while in contrast the palate is magnificent, clean and focused with a silky, refined character supporting fresh fruit and sweet, ripe tannins on a long finish. All the components for a great wine are here, and it may be that I simply caught this in an awkward phase of evolution or that this bottle simply isn’t representative, but in any case, my conclusion is that it needs more cellar time to come together. The jury is out for a future tasting. Drink 2028-2040+ Tasted December 2024
While Chianti Classico Riserva was bottled since the earliest days of Fontodi, in 1985 they first bottled a single-vineyard bottling based on the estate’s oldest plantings of Sangiovese labeled Vigna del Sorbo. Since then, this bottling has been a work in progress, with constant tweaks by Giovanni Manetti in his quest for perfection. Since 2009 he has reduced the Cabernet Sauvignon from about 10% in previous bottling, to now a pure, 100% Sangiovese. This vineyard had a south-west exposure with 55 years old vines. Grapes are hand harvest and pressed, and only indigenous yeast is used. Maceration and fermentation take place in stainless.
In the early days oak elevage was in the 12 month range and has gradually increased to 24 months for the most recent vintages. The oak is entirely of French source and is a combination of untoasted, light and medium toast. Some may be put off by so much French oak in their Sangiovese, but in my experience is takes a background note with proper cellaring. Blending is older vintages when Cabernet was blended in took place after barrel aging because the Cabernet Sauvignon has a tendency to be more reductive than Sangiovese and therefore requires more frequent racking. Total production is about 25,000 bottles each vintage.
2004 Fontodi, Chianti Classico Riserva, Vigna del Sorbo (RT98) With an overall translucent garnet hue, from the moment this first glass was poured it has magnificence stamped all over it! At 20 years of age, it is perfectly mature finding a magical balance between fresh fruit and optimal tertiary evolution. Structured notes of sour red cherry liqueur, umami-tinged dried raspberry, dusty Tuscan fields, spice and hints of sunbaked florals capture the imagination. The palate delivers an impressive level of near magical finesse, every detail perfectly dosed and balanced, the tannins completely resolved and seamless. This wine hovers in the upper atmosphere, a superb showing indeed! Be sure to decant this wine for sediment, as it is ample. I did not decant however, instead choosing to pour slowly and precisely. Drink now-2034+ Tasted December 2024
While Chianti Classico Riserva was bottled since the earliest days of Fontodi, in 1985 they first bottled a single-vineyard bottling based on the estate’s oldest plantings of Sangiovese labeled Vigna del Sorbo. Since then, this bottling has been a work in progress, with constant tweaks by Giovanni Manetti in his quest for perfection. Since 2009 he has reduced the Cabernet Sauvignon from about 10% in previous bottling, to now a pure, 100% Sangiovese. This vineyard had a south-west exposure with 55 years old vines. Grapes are hand harvest and pressed, and only indigenous yeast is used. Maceration and fermentation take place in stainless.
In the early days oak elevage was in the 12 month range and has gradually increased to 24 months for the most recent vintages. The oak is entirely of French source and is a combination of untoasted, light and medium toast. Some may be put off by so much French oak in their Sangiovese, but in my experience is takes a background note with proper cellaring. Blending is older vintages when Cabernet was blended in took place after barrel aging because the Cabernet Sauvignon has a tendency to be more reductive than Sangiovese and therefore requires more frequent racking. Total production is about 25,000 bottles each vintage.
2001 Fontodi, Colli Toscana Centrale IGT, Flaccianello delle Pieve (RT97) At the age of 23 the 100% Sangiovese 2001 Flaccianello is in its early prime drinking window, which I find very attractive. A place where it balances beautiful, lush fruit with tertiary notes magnificently. For my palate this is a perfect place for enjoying Sangiovese. Translucent ruby with a garnet cast, it delivers notes of Marasca cherry liqueur, spiced red currants, deep anise, dusty Tuscan spices, hints of sage and cedar and finishes with a wisp of blood orange zest. The new oak still shows its influence in a polished manner but has integrated magnificently. A complex bouquet and its variety of spiced notes leads to a beautifully balanced palate packed with perfectly ripe fruit and finishes with seamlessly suave tannins. A very impressive showing, this was followed over multiple days and held up beautifully. It was not decanted and was served directly from the bottle using classic, slow and precise pours. Drink now-2036+ Tasted December 2024
Flaccianello is a legendary expression of pure Sangiovese that is hand harvested from a selection of the best vineyards. The inaugural vintage, which was one of the earliest Super Tuscan (aka IGT) wines produced, was 1981. This wine has been a work in progress and the goal of producing world class Sangiovese has dominated the long term goals of Giovanni Manetti, who is the driving force behind Fontodi. 2001 is the first vintage that fruit for this bottling – only the best fruit – was blended together from various estate sites. Previously all of the fruit was sourced from a single plot, but in Manetti’s quest to constantly strive for the finest expression of Sangiovesi, he chose this route, which has proven a valuable decision!
The fruit is lightly pressed and then fermented in stainless for a minimum of 3 weeks using entirely indigenous yeasts. It is then aged in 100% new French oak barriques and casks from the Troncais and Allier forests. Toast levels are not specified, but knowing the house style I suspect it is low level. The elevage of Flaccianello was originally 12 months in the early years but has been gradually extended to the current 24 months. This is a surprisingly large scale production wine with +/- 60,000 bottles produced each year.