Fontodi New Arrivals - Including Big Guns Flaccianello and Vigna del Sorbo

It's hard to believe, but Giovanni Manetti continues to take wines to even greater heights. VINOUS MEDIA 2019

Proprietor Giovanni Manetti could certainly rest on his laurels. The wines have been benchmarks for some time. In recent years, Manetti’s influence as a leader in Panzano and Chianti Classico has exploded because of his role as the President of the Consorzio del Chianti Classico. Instead, Manetti has continued to acquire vineyards and introduce new wines while also quietly refining his approach with the established labels. ANTONIO GALLONI

Giovanni Manetti and Fontodi represent the pinnacle of quality that can be achieved in this part of Tuscany. MONICA LARNER

The wines are as brilliant as ever, from the familiar Chianti Classico to his famous Flaccianello, a 100% Sangiovese that is the top red from his porfolio. The wines offer a great combination of ripe fruit, very good acidity and excellent complexity and persistence. And yes, they are ideal examples of local terroir from Panzano in Chianti, a mid-way point in Chianti Classico. TOM HYLAND, Forbes

In tasting, the 2020s are rich, sumptuous wines….The best of these wines show terrific depth, gorgeous purity of fruit and fully ripe tannins…Today, my impression is that 2020 will turn out to be better and more consistent than the 2019s. ANTONIO GALLONI

Those who are receiving this offer will be well familiar with the wines and pedigree of Fontodi. They have long been at the pointy end of Chianti Classico producers along with the likes of Felsina and San Giusto Rentennano. From their prime vineyards in the natural amphitheatre that is the Conca de Oro, they produce, deep, powerful and authentic wines that echo their Panzano locale with brilliant clarity.

The man behind the wines is perhaps as well known as the estate itself. Giovanni Manetti, who has steered the ship at Fontodi since 1980, is something of a living legend in Chianti Classico. His fastidious attention to detail in every aspect of winemaking from vineyards to the winery has helped build his reputation, but outside of the realm of Fontodi, Manetti is also the Chairman of the Consorzio and has been instrumental in pushing forward Chianti Classico as a whole. In recent years he has focused on the development of the Gran Selezione designation and perhaps more importantly, the delineation of sub-zones within Chianti Classico and the labelling of wines as such, allowing for more singular expressions that capture the wonderful intricacies and showcase the quality and chareacter of specific sites within the zone. He has also looked to work with higher elevation sites both in Panzano and La Mole, acutely aware that as the climate warms, these sites will be key in preserving freshness and balance in the wines today and in the future.

We have four wines on offer today. Fontodi's benchmark Chianti Classico, two Gran Selezione wines and the iconic Flaccianello. The Chianti Classico is made from 100% organic certified fruit and works as a village wine of sorts for Panzano. The schistous soils deliver plenty of mineral imprint to go along with that trademark Conca de Ora depth and power. As Larner points out in her review this wine has shifted in style recently to as Manetti moves towards larger format oak and earlier bottling which dials back some of the richness for definition and poise.

Then we have the sophmore release of Fontodi's Gran Selezione San Leolino, which comes from a parcel near the little chapel of the same name. The elevation, upwards towards 500m asa, along with the limestone and alberese soils give the wine more lift and focus than its famed neighbour Vigna del Sorbo despite it being quite in close proximity. This wine represents something quite exciting for Fontodi and their fans as it  represents a tangible wine that follows Manetti's long held dream of producing singular wines of 'Grand Cru' quality from sites with differing soils, elevations and aspects.

Then we come to the two heavyweights, although San Leolino may join them soon. Vigna del Sorbo and Flacciabello. Both are now 100% Sangiovese, Vigna del Sorbo had at one time contained Cabernet Sauvignon. Both lay their roots in schistous galestro soils which deliver muscle, weight and potent dark fruit. Vigna del Sorbo is drawn from a single vineyard while Flaccianello is a selection of the best fruit from the estate. Flaccianello sees a little more oak and delivers a little more power, the Vigna del Sorbo a little more finesse. There is an ongoing debate about which wine is the "one", but what is clear to all is that these are two of the greatest wines in Italy today.

There's not much more to be said here really. The combination of incredible holdings in one of Chianti Classico's most revered locales and the immeasurable talents and dogged pursuit of quality from Giovanni Mannetti continue to make Fontodi an outright superstar and the wines at this address have never been better.

These wines are of course limited in nature and highly sought-after and so tend to sell out quickly each vintage and while we have bottle limits in place and are only sending these to a select group of VIPs and previous buyers please get those orders in quickly to avoid disaapointment.