Fontodi Flaccianello Vertical Tasting at Wine Watch

Saturday, May 18, 2019 - 07:30 PM

This Event has been read: 2985 times.

 

If reassurances could dull pain, nobody would ever go to the trouble of pressing grapes.

SCOTT LYNCH, The Lies of Locke Lamora

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The Manetti family has owned Fontodi since 1969 but has been in Chianti for centuries. Though they have always made wine, their primary business is still the production of Chiantii´s finest terracotta at their factory in Ferrone. Giovanni Manetti has run the property since 1980 and ensures the wines are as meticulously made as the vineyards are immaculately tended. Their 80 hectares of vineyard, 90% of which are Sangiovese, are situated in the prime i´concadi´oroi´ (golden shell) of Panzano, and over the past six years these have been converted to organic viticulture. Giovanni is now following biodynamic principles to obtain the best quality fruit. There are 80 hectares of south facing vineyards, all of which are found in an amphitheatre-shaped valley to the south of Panzano. This shape facilitates the full ripening of the grapes. The stony galestro soils allow for excellent drainage and encourage the vines to put down deep roots.

I just had the 2007 Flaccianello at the Wine Bar a few weeks ago and it was spectacular!!  This wine is just starting to reach maturity and was also the star of the last Fontodi Flaccianello vertical tasting last year.  The 1995 was also still incredibly fresh and lively and I bet you could hold on to it for another 10+ years.   After last year’s tasting I decided to make this an annual event as there is no better way to spend an evening than with 10 vintages of Flaccianello and therefore we will offer our “Wine Drinking people” this opportunity every year until I have no more Flaccianello to drink!!

This tasting features Fontodi’s flagship wine (100% Sangiovese based) Flaccianello going back to the 1995 vintage we like this wine so much we have many selections in magnum and 3 liter format!  Flaccianello was a single vineyard wine up until the 2004 vintage when they replanted the vineyard then it became a selection of the best Sangiovese from the entire property.  We feel it is one of the best wines made in Tuscany and will be drinking as many bottles as we can!

In fact, we have one of the largest selections of Fontodi wines on the planet earth so check out everything that we have in the store on this offering after the information about this tasting.  The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $195 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.

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Fontodi Flaccianello Vertical Tasting 1995 2015 at Wine Watch
Saturday May 18th
7:30pm

1995 Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve Tuscany
Price: $232.00    Your Price: $204.16          Quantity in Stock: 4
(92 Points) Built for aging. Extremely well made, with concentrated aromas of dried berry, fruit and spices. Full-bodied, with full tannins which are wonderfully fine-tuned and well-integrated. Long, long fruity finish. Best after 2000. 3,500 cases made. “JS Wine Spectator Issue: Dec 15, 1998

1996 Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve Tuscany
Price: $215.00    Your Price: $189.20    Quantity in Stock: 5
(93+ Points)  The 1996 Flaccianello della Pieve is very, very tight. Hints of inner sweetness struggle to emerge from beneath an imposing wall of tannin. The 1996 still requires considerable patience, but it starts to open up in the glass and seems to have enough fruit to drink well once the tannins soften. I have to say I am intrigued by the 1996. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2021. Wine Advocate #201, Jun 2012

1999 Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve Tuscany
Price: $220.00    Your Price: $193.60    Quantity in Stock: 19
(92 points) Made from 100% Sangiovese and aged 12 months in French oak, the 1999 Flaccianello is immensely impressive. Its opaque ruby/purple color is followed by scents of high class French oak intermixed with black cherry liqueur, minerals, spice box, tobacco, and blackberries. Concentrated yet elegant, this sweet, pure, exceptionally long wine can be drunk now, or cellared for 10-12 years. Wine Advocate #144 Dec 2002

2000 Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve Tuscany
Price: $145.00    Sale Price: $120.00    Quantity in Stock: 38
(89 Points) The 2000 Flaccianello della Pieve is this estate's prime Sangiovese. The wine is fragrant, floral, and sweet on the nose, focused and precise on the palate with tannins which support and sustain the significant length of the flavors. The elegance of the wine makes it deceptively approachable - 2006 to 2014 should be the optimal drinking period. Wine Advocate # 152, Apr 2004

2004 Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve Tuscany
Price: $215.00    Your Price: $189.20          Quantity in Stock: 5
(96 Points) Manetti-s 2004 Flaccianello della Pieve (100% Sangiovese aged in 100% new oak) is simply stunning. Fresh and vibrant, it offers compelling aromatics and endless layers of fruit that develop in the glass, with superb length on the palate and gorgeous overall balance. Although it is still holding back much today, make no mistake about it, Flaccianello is one of Italy-s blue-chip wines and the 2004 is a profound vintage for this wine. In order to enjoy its full range of expression readers will have to wait at least another five years after which it will provide memorable drinking to age 25, perhaps longer. A recent bottle of the 1982 was still full of life when tasted a few months ago. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2029. Wine Advocate # 171, June 2007

2005 Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve Tuscany
Price: $186.00    Your Price: $163.68   Quantity in Stock: 6
(94 Points) Shows complex and subtle aromas of blackberry, black licorice and cedar, with just a hint of dried spices. Full-bodied, with a wonderful concentration of fruit, chewy tannins and a long, long finish. Powerful and layered. Sangiovese. Best after 2012. 3,000 cases made. –JS Wine Spectator Issue Oct 15, 2008

2007 Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve Tuscany
Price: $192.00   Sale Price: $168.96    Quantity in Stock: 24
(95 points) The 2007 Flaccianello della Pieve captures the essence of this great Tuscan vintage. It is a decidedly sexy, opulent wine bursting at the seams with rich red berries, mint and spices. The tannins are present but virtually undetectable under layer after layer of fruit. There is no question the 2007 is seamless, opulent and full-bodied. Readers who prefer more structured wines will gravitate to vintages such as 2001 and 2004. I find the 2007 utterly irresistible. It will also drink better earlier than some of the most classic vintages. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2027.

2011 Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve Tuscany
Price: $146.00    Your Price: $128.48          Quantity in Stock: 7
(95 points)  The 2011 Flaccianello della Pieve is 100% Sangiovese aged 24 months in new French oak and two months in large oak cask. I’m not sure how Fontodi does it, but this edition of Flaccianello is simply beautiful. It is a seamless expression with lingering tones of red cherry, coffee, spice, truffle and red rose that flow harmoniously into unison. In the mouth, the wine shows great opulence and textural richness that is pushed forward by the stylistic softness of the tannins and the wine’s inner freshness. Pretty menthol tones appear on the finish. Drink: 2015-2030.eRobertParker.com #215, Oct 2014

2013 Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve Tuscany
Price: $159.00    Your Price: $139.92          Quantity in Stock: 18
(98 points) The 2013 Flaccianello della Pieve is a commanding wine and a strong protagonist of both the vintage and its territory. Connoisseurs of Sangiovese will be hard pressed to find a wine more authentic, elegant, complex and pristine than this. I am a huge fan of the 2013 vintage in Chianti Classico and the Flaccianello della Pieva is one big reason for this love affair. The bouquet is gorgeous and delineated with wild berry, tangy spice, crushed mineral and forest flower. Yet, the wine's color is dark, brooding and austere. The wine offers exuberance and energy in the mouth, thanks to its balanced acidity and seemingly never-ending finish. It should age forward for twenty years or more. Congratulations Fontodi.(ML)" (12/2016) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

2014 Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve Tuscany
Price: $130.00    Your Price: $114.40    Quantity in Stock: 20
(94 Points) Well-marked by toasty, vanilla-scented oak, this red boasts a core of cherry, floral, tobacco and graphite. Pure and intense, with fine harmony. Sangiovese. Best from 2021 through 2040. Wine Spectator

2015 Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve Tuscany
Price: $159.00    Your Price: $139.92

(98 points) 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. (ML) (10/2018)  Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Menu
Charcuterie Selection
Butternut Squash Ravioli with white bean puree and sage infused Fontodi extra virgin olive oil
Bistecca Florentina with porcini Sangiovese natural sauce and bacon basted polenta cake

The fee for this tasting is $195 + tax, this includes dinner.   For reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com

Please let us know when you make your reservations if you have special dietary restrictions chef Toni is happy to accommodate you.

 

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A bit about Fontodi:

In the beginning there were Fontodi bricks and tiles.  The work comes from fonte di odo, which means a place rich with water.  Brunelleschi’s Florentine cupola was restored with Fontodi tiles.  Ancient and modern day Florentine homes use Fontodi tiles for decoration and for their natural warmth.  The same family made the bricks that pave the Uffizi Galley in Florence.  This family with the same hand and the same will has also been involved with the wine but for a shorter time.  It was Maria, the mother, who took an active part in the winery.  She first got the family interested in wine   They purchased the winery in 1968, and by 1980 the had moved there from Panzano.  It is a difficult land to farm but it yields some of the finest stone and clay for bricks, and tiles, but the finest oils and the most noble wines.

Today, Fontodi is one of the leaders in Chianti, their wines have consistently impressed the critics; from the Gambero Rosso (the Italian wine bible), Robert Parker of The Wine Advocate (the American authority on wine), to The Wine Spectator (the most popular international wine/lifestyle publication), all of these publications have waxed poetic about the wines from this estate.  The estate of Fontodi is on a hill just south of Panzano, from where you can look across the valley towards Rampolla and Cafaqqio.  The gardens are full of Rosemary and in May the cuckoos are noisy.  Since the Manetti family has owned the estate they have undertaken a major renovations of the vineyards.  The young and talented owner, Giovanni Manetti, is one of the most far-sighted and intellectual grower-producers in all of Italy.  His estate is enchanting, not only because of the villa where it is based is spectacularly beautiful, but also because Manetti has consistently made quality the first priority in all areas of the business, from rootstock, to trellising, to hiring the brightest mind in winemaking in all of Italy, Franco Bernabei.  Franco has won more "Glasses" in Gambero Rosso than anyone in the history of the guide.  Manetti’s greatest attribute is his common sense and his commanding personality which makes others stand up and listen. 

The winery focuses its efforts on seven wines.  Two Chianti’s, a Classico and a single vineyard wine called Vigna Del Sorbo.  The Chianti Classico is 100% sangiovese and is the product of traditional winemaking.  The wine is aged for six months in oak barrels, it completes its refinement in the bottle.  It is a graceful, balanced, elegant, and stylish wine, but still easily to enjoy in its youth.  The Vigna Del Sorbo Chianti Classico Riserva is a blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon blended according to traditional methods and matured in small oak casks. 

The flagship wine Flaccianello Della Piave, a 100% Sangiovese based wine which until the 2004 vintage this wine was made from a single vineyard surrounding the age-old parish church in Panzano, but from 2005 on it has become a selection of the best Sangivoese from the entire property.  This wine is made with carefully controlled fermentation and strict temperature control during the initial stages.  It is big and powerful wine yet retains a ripe, soft, seductive character. 

The only white produced here is named Meriggio, it is 100% sauvignon blanc grapes vinified in stainless steel tanks, temperature-controlled and matured on lees for 6 months.  This is the first time this wine has been exported to the U.S. and we are proud to be the exclusive retailer of this wine in South Florida!

Two of the smallest production wines with the Fontodi moniker are the Syrah and Pinot Nero cuvées bottled under the Case Via label. The Pinot Noir reflects the influences on Giovanni's wine education, having grown up at a time when Chianti was a much derided region, and he looked abroad to Burgundy, among other regions, for inspiration. The Pinot Noir vines were planted in 1985, as were the Syrah vines, during a period of youthful experimentation for Manetti.  The Syrah is one of the best examples of this varietal made in Italy and can rival the Flaccianello in quality in great vintages.

Fontodi also makes a Vinsanto, an Italian dessert wine, this is a blend of malvasia and sangiovese grapes which are naturally air dried on straw mats until December.  After a soft pressing the wine is aged for four years in four different kinds of wood (oak, chestnut, cherry and juniper) in cask that vary also in age and capacity.  This wine has a yellow-golden color and a delicate fragrance of honey and hazelnuts.  On the palate it is dry, warm, fragrant but suitably soft.

 

 

The newly released 2015 Flaccianello and the rest of the new releases from Fontodi:

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2018 Fontodi Meriggio ( Sauvignon )  Coming Soon!
Price: $33.75       Sale $29.70

2014 Fontodi Merrigio
Price: $24.50       Sale $21.56          Quantity in Stock 4
This Sauvignon Blanc is made from Fontodi’s organically tended, north-facing La Rota vineyard, this wine’s Sauvignon Blanc grapes ferment in temperature-controlled stainless steel, and the wine ages on the lees for six months, also in stainless steel. Just over 650 cases made each vintage.

 

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2015 Fontodi Chianti Classico (Magnum)
Price: $84.25       Sale $74.14          Quantity in Stock: 5
2015 Fontodi Chianti Classico
Price: $41.25    Your Price: $36.30               Quantity in Stock: 20
(93 points) Rich, packed with cherry, leather, dark chocolate and wild herb aromas and flavors. Dense and vibrant, with a long, mouthwatering finish that picks up a graphite edge. Best from 2020 through 2032.—B.S Wine Spectator

2013 Fontodi Chianti Classico (Magnum)
Price: $86.00       Sale $75.68
2012 Fontodi Chianti Classico (Magnum)
Price: $86.00       Sale $75.68
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2015 Filleta di Lamole Chianti Classico
Price: $43.00       Sale $37.84
(90-92 Points) "The 2015 Chianti Classico Filetta di Lamole offers lovely depth in the style that is typical of this site, but with a bit more body and volume from the ripe, warm vintage. I tasted the 2015 from tank just prior to bottling." 1/18 Antonio Galloni

2014 Filetta Di Lamole Chianti Classico
Price: $39.75    Your Price: $34.98              
"Made by Giovanni Manetti of Fontodi with his cousin. First vintage. Vines at 620 m (2,034 ft).  Light ruby. Subtle red-cherry fruit. Rounded and easy but not simple, has firm but rounded depth and no edges. Dry-textured finish. Subtle. Drink: 2016-2019. 16 points"   Julia Harding, JancisRobinson.com (10/16)

Other Vintages of Flaccianello and the rest of the Fontodi wines in the store

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2015 Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve Tuscany  Magnum
Price: $325.00    Sale $286.00       (Available)
2015 Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve Tuscany 3 Liter
Price: $769.00    Sale $676.72

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | JANUARY 4, 2018
“Chianti Classico is one of the world’s elite regions because of its proven ability to produce pedigreed, age-worthy wines that transmit the essence of site and that develop beautifully in bottle. Readers will find a bevy of compelling new releases in the market, ranging from the gorgeous, radiant 2015s to the more nervy, tense 2014s.

The Stellar 2015 Chianti Classicos

A generation or so ago, the average wine lover could afford to buy top-flight Bordeaux, Burgundy and Italian wines...by the case. Sadly, that is no longer possible, as the demand for the world’s best wines has escalated at a rapid pace and driven prices into the stratosphere in many regions. In this context, it is easy to be discouraged. Yes, the last thirty years have seen an explosion of wine quality in regions that were once considered backwaters. There can be no doubt that today’s consumer has more choices than ever before, and that is a very good thing. Even so, there is something magical about the best wines from the world’s top regions. These wines have the ability to speak to history, culture and their place of origin with great eloquence, which is why they are considered benchmarks.

The 2015 vintage presents consumers with a tremendous opportunity to acquire fine, cellar worthy wines without spending a fortune. In 2015, the warm growing season yielded rich, sumptuous Chianti Classicos with great depth and intensity. Vintages like 2015 tend to raise the quality of entry-level wines. That is exactly what has happened with the 2015 Chianti Classicos. The finest examples can be had for $25-30 a bottle and will drink well for twenty years or more. Smart consumers will to snap up the best of these wines by the case. Of course, while warm vintages can result in unusually fleshy wines at the entry level, they can also attenuate peaks at the high end and produce wines that aren’t as site-driven as they are in cooler years. We will save that discussion for later, when the Riservas and top selections start coming into the market. - Vinous

2012 Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve Tuscany
Price: $139.00    Your Price: $122.32          Quantity in Stock: 6
A very pretty nose of bright red berry fruit, fresh flowers and dark spices, very pretty bouquet very enticing with incense like spice and not quite as big as the Sorbo without the Cabernet Sauvignon this wine still has more complexity and a long nuanced finish, so for me this wine was a big better on this evening both of these wines received one vote for second place.  Finish 50+              Most Excellent

2010 Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve Tuscany Magnum
Price: $302.00    Your Price: $265.76
2010 Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve Tuscany
Price: $149.00    Your Price: $131.12          (Available)
(97+ Points)  Now to a superstar of Italian enology: The 2010 Flaccianello della Pieve will take your breath away. This is a seriously beautiful Sangiovese-based wine with the kind of intensity and aromatic purity you only experience every 1,000 wines or so. There’s a lot to say here. First, the wine’s beautiful appearance shows dark garnet colors with highlights of ruby and purple gemstone. The bouquet delivers a steady and seductive evolution with dark cherry, chocolate, spice, tobacco and sweet almond all seamlessly balanced one against the other. Its texture and inner fabric is rich, velvety and firm. There’s a brilliant spot of acidity that hits you at the back of the mouth and helps the wine from feeling too heavy or dense. In fact, outstanding elegance is what ultimately sets it apart. The temptation to drink it now is huge, but those still young tannins definitely need a few more years to unwind. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2035.

Fontodi’s Giovanni Manetti has released one of the top Italian wines of 2010. His Flaccianello della Pieve (assembled from the best parcels of Sangiovese) is an expression of profound beauty and elegance. I tasted this wine early in my work for this issue and found myself returning to my note over and over again, comparing the other great wines of 2010 to Flaccianello. It became my benchmark for the vintage. Wine Advocate #208, Aug 2013

2008 Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve Tuscany
Price: $169.50    Your Price: $135.60
The 2008 Flaccianello della Pieve is quite pretty, even if it is a bit buttoned up. It possesses lovely perfume and sweet Pinot-like fruit backed by acidity and structure that are unquestionably those of Sangiovese. Today the 2008 impresses for its energy and verve. It should be a fabulous wine to drink in another few years, once the tannins settle down a bit. This is yet another 2008 that has grown considerably in stature over the last year. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2023. Wine Advocate

 

2007 Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve Tuscany MAGNUM
Price: $395.75    Your Price: $348.26

2004 Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve Tuscany Magnum
Price: $450.00    Your Price: $396.00          Quantity in Stock: 1
(96 Points) Manetti-s 2004 Flaccianello della Pieve (100% Sangiovese aged in 100% new oak) is simply stunning. Fresh and vibrant, it offers compelling aromatics and endless layers of fruit that develop in the glass, with superb length on the palate and gorgeous overall balance. Although it is still holding back much today, make no mistake about it, Flaccianello is one of Italy-s blue-chip wines and the 2004 is a profound vintage for this wine. In order to enjoy its full range of expression readers will have to wait at least another five years after which it will provide memorable drinking to age 25, perhaps longer. A recent bottle of the 1982 was still full of life when tasted a few months ago. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2029. Wine Advocate # 171, June 2007

1999 Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve Tuscany MAGNUM
Price: $392.00    Your Price: $344.96          Quantity in Stock: 3
(92 Points) Made from 100% Sangiovese and aged 12 months in French oak, the 1999 Flaccianello is immensely impressive. Its opaque ruby/purple color is followed by scents of high class French oak intermixed with black cherry liqueur, minerals, spice box, tobacco, and blackberries. Concentrated yet elegant, this sweet, pure, exceptionally long wine can be drunk now, or cellared for 10-12 years.No tasting notes at this time. Wine Advocate

1998 Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve Tuscany MAGNUM
Price: $495.00    Sale Price: $400.00           Quantity in Stock: 1

1997 Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve Tuscany 3 Liter
Price: $1095.00    Your Price: $963.60        Quantity in Stock: 1
1997 Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve Tuscany MAGNUM
Price: $650.00    Your Price: $550.00          Quantity in Stock: 1
(95 points) The 1997 Flaccianello della Pieve wraps around the palate with endless layers of dark fruit. In 1997 the grapes were very small because the intense heat of the year dehydrated the fruit. Dark red berries, pomegranate, spices, smoke, licorice, anise and rose petals burst from the glass with notable energy, power and grace. Even with all of its intensity, the 1997 is beautifully balanced from start to finish. This racy, full-bodied Flaccianello can be enjoyed today or cellared for up to a decade. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2022.  Wine Advocate #201 Jun 2012

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2015 Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna Del Sorbo Gran Selezione
Price: $117.50    Sale $103.39
(96 points) The 2015 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo (100% Sangiovese) is a wine that inspires a deep, deep breath into your glass. There's so much to take in and admire. So where to start? First, the wine shows a beautiful appearance that is thick and dark but allows for just enough ambient light to make it shine with ruby rays from deep inside. Then you have the bouquet that presents a solid wall of interwoven and ultimately beautifully balanced aromas. There is dark fruit, tobacco, leather, spice and polished river stone. Lastly, the mouthfeel reveals a similar level of extreme flavor equilibrium with very fine but still very young tannins. That mid-weight structure, matched to the wine's natural acidity, is a major guarantee of longevity. (ML) 96+ (10/2018) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

2014 Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna Del Sorbo Gran Selezione
Price: $108.00    Sale $95.04
2013 Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna Del Sorbo Gran Selezione Magnum
Price: $238.00    Sale $209.44
2013 Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna Del Sorbo Gran Selezione
Price: $102.00    Sale $89.76
2012 Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna Del Sorbo Gran Selezione 3 Liter
Price: $450.00    Your Price: $396.00
2012 Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna Del Sorbo Gran Selezione Magnum
Price: $196.00    Your Price: $172.48
2012 Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna Del Sorbo Gran Selezione
Price: $93.00    Your Price: $81.84               Quantity in Stock: 2
2011 Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna Del Sorbo Gran Selezione
Price: $108.00    Sale $83.60
2010 Fontodi Chianti Riserva Vigne de Sorbo
Price: $136.00    Your Price: $95.04
(95 Points) The 2010 Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna del Sorbo is a timeless expression that embraces all the canons of great winemaking. This vineyard-designate expression (Sangiovese and a small part of Cabernet Sauvignon are planted here) boasts a delicately floral side in 2010 with dried violets and blue flower that gracefully lift the bouquet. Beyond the floral tones are shadings of cassis, wet earth, anisette and tobacco. Like the other wines of Fontodi, Vigna del Sorbo shows an ethereal side and inner elegance that is impossible to repeat elsewhere. It’s sure to develop bottle complexity over the years. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030.  Wine Advocate #208 Aug 2013 Reviewer: Monica Larner

2009 Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna del Sorbo
Price: $108.00    Your Price: $95.04
(94 points) The 2009 Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna del Sorbo is impressive. The overtness of the year is nicely balanced by the inherent freshness and acidity of Sangiovese. Hints of tobacco, cedar, licorice and spices are layered into the insistent finish. This is a terrific showing. I very much like the energy, length and focus of the fruit. I can’t wait to see how this develops over the coming years. The Vigna del Sorbo is a bit overlooked in the Fontodi stable, but it is often striking, especially after a few years in bottle. This historic vineyard is planted to 90% Sangiovese and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. The Sorbo has an element of freshness that the Flaccianello doesn’t have. I will not be surprised if over time it enjoys a more gradual and finessed evolution in bottle. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2027. Wine Advocate #201 Jun 2012

2008 Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna del Sorbo
Price: $120.00    Your Price: $105.60
(93 points)  The 2008 Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna del Sorbo is beautiful in this vintage. It shows gorgeous mid-palate depth and pliancy, with wonderful richness in its sweet dark fruit, smoke, licorice and grilled herbs. The 10% Cabernet Sauvignon works particularly well in this vintage, as it seems to give the wine a measure of depth and delineation that is less obvious in the Flaccianello. Higher toned floral notes add lift on the finish. The Vigna del Sorbo is a touch restrained in 2008, as are most wines, yet it shows fabulous balance and tons of personality. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2028. Wine Advocate #196 Aug 2011

2006 Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna Del Sorbo
Price: $136.00    Sale $119.68
2006 Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna Del Sorbo Magnum
Price: $288.00    Your Price: $253.44          Quantity in Stock: 1
(95 Points) The 2006 Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna del Sorbo is seriously dark, rich and intense. Dark cherries, tobacco, herbs and minerals come together in this brooding, weighty Vigna del Sorbo. Today the wine comes across as completely closed and folded in on itself, but with time it should emerge as a beauty. The elegance of the superb 2004 seems missing, and this looks to be an especially concentrated vintage for this wine. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2026. Wine Advocate # 184, Aug 2009

2004 Fontodi Chianti Riserva Vigne de Sorbo MAGNUM
Price: $290.00    Your Price: $255.20          Quantity in Stock: 2
(96 Points) Medium to deep garnet colour. Pretty, fresh blackberry and warm cherry aromas on the nose with fragrant nuances of rose petals and Chinese five spice. The tannins are firm yet finely grained and accessible. A crisp backbone of acidity provides freshness and perfect balance to the rich, ripe fruit flavours. The style straddles that wonderfully fine line between elegance and decadence. Very long finish with lingering notes of black truffles. Drinking now but will certainly open and soften with 4-5 years more cellaring. Should continue to develop through 2020+. Tasted January 2009. Wine Advocate Mar 2009 Reviewer: Lisa Perrotti-Brown

2001 Fontodi Vigna Del Sorbo Chianti Classico Riserva
Price: $156.00    Your Price: $137.28
Starting to really open up here, this vintage is a classic year and has been closed down for a while but at 14 years of age this wine is now starting to strut its stuff with dark currant and cherry fruit, fresh scorched earth and fine herbs on the nose very complex.  Wow this wine still has lots of youthful fruit on the palate, dark cherry and currants with a firm hand of tannins on the finish with a long mineral laced finish, this wine also has great structure and acidity, leaving it to age another decade would probably be a good thing.  this wine got a vote for first place and two for second.  Finish 50+    KILLER

2000 Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva Sorbo
Price: $145.00    Your Price: $127.60
1998 Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva Sorbo
Price: $138.00    Your Price: $121.44          Quantity in Stock: 9
The Vigna Del Sorbo is now Fontodi’s Gran Selection wine not longer contains 10% Cabernet Sauvignon like this 21-year old version of Fontodi’s single vineyard Riserva Chianti Classico from their estate vineyards in Panzano.

1995 Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva Sorbo
Price: $152.00    Your Price: $133.76         
(96 Points) The 1995 Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna del Sorbo is striking. It brings together all of the best qualities of the year and this era. Freshly cut flowers, mint, small red berries and tobacco jump from the glass in a Vigna del Sorbo that impresses for its freshness and delineation. Dark red cherries, plums and licorice all add complexity on the perfumed, highly expressive finish. According to Giovanni Manetti, 1995 was marked by a cool summer and a late harvest that took place under perfect Indian summer conditions. This has always been one of my favorite vintages. Fontodi's Sorbo is another great 1995 from Chianti Classico. 2014 - 2023 Antonio Galloni

1987 Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva Sorbo
Price: $180.25    Sale $158.62

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2015 Fontodi Dino
Price: $78.00    Your Price: $68.64              Quantity in Stock: 12

Named “Dino” to honor of Fontodi owner-winemaker Giovanni Manetti’s father, Dino Amphora embodies its pure Italian spirit and honors its Tuscan heritage by aging in orci, or Tuscan-styled amphora crafted of Tuscan clay, made by Manetti Gusmano & Figli, Dino Manetti’s family business that still makes terracotta tiles today. This mono-varietal Sangiovese ferments with natural yeasts for thirty to forty days; the wine ages in orci for eight to ten months, followed by two months in stainless steel before resting in bottle.

2013 Fontodi Dino Amphora
Price: $75.00    Your Price: $66.00               Quantity in Stock: 11

(95 points) "The 2013 Dino, 100% Sangiovese fermented in amphora and bottled with no added sulfites, is simply dazzling. Black cherry, lavender, mint and sage are some of the many notes that come alive in this pulsating, drop-dead gorgeous Sangiovese from Fontodi. The Dino offers striking purity and translucent finesse, not to mention exceptional overall beauty. Giovanni Manetti picked this fruit a bit on the early side to preserve freshness, an approach that has paid off big time." Antonio Galloni

Syrah - We have a vertical selection of the best Syrah in Italy!

Image result for 2014 Fontodi Syrah Case Via Tuscany

 

2014 Fontodi Syrah Case Via Tuscany
Price: $69.75    Your Price: $61.38
2013 Fontodi Syrah Case Via Tuscany
Price: $69.00    Your Price: $60.72               Quantity in Stock: 12
2012 Fontodi Syrah Case Via Tuscany
Price: $69.00    Your Price: $60.72
2010 Fontodi Syrah Case Via Tuscany
Price: $70.00    Your Price: $61.60               Quantity in Stock: 4
2009 Fontodi Syrah Case Via Tuscany
Price: $75.00    Your Price: $66.00
2004 Fontodi Syrah Case Vie Tuscany
Price: $89.00    Your Price: $78.32
2000 Fontodi Syrah Tuscany
Price: $95.00    Your Price: $83.60
1996 Fontodi Syrah Tuscany
Price: $98.00    Your Price: $86.24
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2009 Fontodi Vin Santo ( 375ml)
Price: $105.00    Sale $92.40
2008 Fontodi Vin Santo (375ml)
Price: $108.00    Your Price: $95.04             Quantity in Stock: 2
2007 Fontodi Vin Santo (375ml)
Price: $108.00    Your Price: $95.04

A real treasure Vin Santo is made by many wine producers in Tuscany but most of this wine never leaves the winery. This "Holy Wine" is an ancient wine that was probably first made in the 14th century. Traditionally it is made from Trebbiano and Malvasia grapes but it can be made from any varietal as Manetti uses Sangiovese. The grapes are hand picked and hung from the rafters of a well-ventilated room. Once dried, the grapes are pressed and the juice is poured into caratelli for fermentation. Caratelli are small cigar-shaped barrels. After the initial fermentation the caratelli are sealed and placed under the roof of the winery, sometimes as long as ten years. The wine develops a deep golden or amber color, and a sweet, often nutty, taste.

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Fontodi Olive Oil ( 500ml)
Price: $26.50       Sale $23.32

The Fontodi estate is known for making exceptional Chianti Classico wine, as well as the finest in Tuscan extra virgin olive oil produced mainly from Frantoio, blended with Moraiolo, Leccino and Correggiolo varieties. The olives are harvested by hand and gently pressed as soon as possible to retain maximum freshness and fragrance of the fruit. The delicate balance of components produces oil rich in colour with fine aromas of artichoke leaf and an elegant taste.


2016 Vintage Fontodi wines coming in July!

2016 Fontodi Chianti Classico 
Price: $44.00       Sale $38.72
2016 Fontodi Chianti Classico Magnum
Price: $90.50       Sale $79.64
2016 Fontodi Chianti Classico Filetta di Lamole 
Price: $41.00       Sale $36.08
2016 Fontodi Chianti Classico Vigna del Sorbo Gran Selezione 
Price: $116.75    Sale $102.74
2016 Fontodi Chianti Classico Vigna del Sorbo Gran Selezione Magnum
Price: $241.00    Sale $212.08
2016 Fontodi Dino ( Sangiovese aged in Amphora )
Price: $77.75       Sale $68.42
2016 Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve Tuscany
Price: $160.50    Sale $141.24
2016 Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve Tuscany Magnum
Price: $341.25    Sale $299.75
2016 Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve Tuscany 3 Liter
Price: $765.00    Sale $673.20

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