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| ~ The "Golden Shell" of Fontodi's Vineyards in Panzano ~ |
Classico. Classic. Adjective: "Serving as a standard of excellence enduring over time."
Little more need be said when discussing the venerable Fontodi estate or their prestigious wines that are simply among the best to hail from Panzano. I have special affinity for Fontodi since the current owners, the Manetti's, have helmed the estate since 1968, the year of my birth. In a land as ancient as Tuscany, this is but a mere blip in time, but that hasn't stopped Fontodi from remaining at the top of its craft.
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| ~ Fontodi uses various size barrels in its wine production. The family is also a noted producer of ceramic tile. Here, they are using that knowledge to produce clay amphora which they are experimenting with to age wine ~ |
The 2010 vintage in Tuscany will be regarded as legendary and Fontodi didn't miss the mark. Today we're looking at the estates most widely available wine; its Chianti Classico. With almost 170,000 bottles produced in an average vintage, this wine should be readily available in the market.
We did not decant the wine and that proved to be an appropriate decision. No sediment was observed and the wine was aromatic and expressive upon opening.
The 2010 Fontodi Chianti Classico is a deep garnet red in the glass with an almost opaque nature to its appearance. The aromas from the wine are nothing short of classic. Floral tones underpin the full body of the ripe cherry fruit while sweet tobacco, fennel and spice notes frame the package.
The flavors mainly follow the nose with virile elegance. The wine is lively and fresh with dried herbs dotting the finish and medium weight tannins providing just enough structure. This 100% Sangiovese is sourced from various estate vineyards and barrique aged for 18 months prior to release. It's not the cheapest Chianti Classico you'll find, but to my mind and palate, it operates on another level and is very much worth the tariff. 92 points. About $30.
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| ~ We served the Fontodi along side a wonderful thin crust, brick oven Margherita Pizza from Nicoletta. Simple, classic, and the perfect foil. ~ |
Salute!
The few times I had this wine in a range of 2-4 years subsequent to its year of release, it was always significantly more expressive than right after its release. When I met Giovanni Manetti he told to me that he makes this CC in a spirit that it can hold years in your cellar without being worried so I guess it makes sense. Gorgeous CC, always, especially when you don't look at the price.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. The price can be an issue. I try to look at this as it is, a more serious wine, and in that sense, in compares favorably with similar examples.
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