Fontodi Chiant Classico 2018

Why is this Wine so Yummy?

Appellation: Chianti Classico DOCG

Grapes: Sangiovese

Vineyards: Various vineyards within the property

Density: 3.500 and 6.000 vines per hectare

Training system: Guyot

Fermentation and maceration: In temperature-controlled tanks with indigenous yeasts for at least 2 weeks

Ageing: In Troncais and Allier barrels for 18 months

About Fontodi

Fontodi has belonged to the Manetti family since 1968. The family has been associated for centuries with another activity typical of the Chianti region, the production of its famous “terrecotte” tiles. And it is in the name of this strong link with the territory and a great passion for quality that the estate has moved successfully towards an ever more attentive cultivation of the vineyards and a more profound knowledge of the potential of Sangiovese in the zone of Panzano.

In the Vineyard

Fontodi is a certified organic estate which extends over 130 hectars of which about 70 are planted with vines. The type of agriculture practised is inspired by the principles of respect of 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.

In the Winery

The process of vinification and ageing in wood takes place in the modern cellar, built on descending levels to take advantage of gravity, guaranteeing the most respect possible for the natural integrity of the grape, in order to exalt the character and elegance of the wines.

The 2018 Vintage at Fontodi

Giovanni Manetti’s 2018s are superb examples of the vintage. The wines are rich, but not at all heavy, and marked more by energy than volume. Flaccianello is simply extraordinary. Over the last few years the wines have gained notably through a greater use of large format wood and shorter time in oak overall. A rare producer whose achievements go beyond wine, Manetti was recently re-elected to a second term as President of the Consorzio del Chianti Classico. The value of his leadership for the entire region can’t possibly be overstated. Earlier this year Manetti was knighted as Cavaliere del Lavoro, one of Italy’s most prestigious and rare civilian awards.

Galloni

Where in the World is Fontodi?

Chianti is a sub-region of Tuscany. Other sub-regions include Montalcino and Montepuliciano. Like Montalcino, Chianti covers a large area and is relatively poorly defined in comparison to the likes of Barolo.

As is often the case with Italian wines there is confusion created by an ever changing general classification system. In this case we have wines two basic designation. The first, the Chianti Classico DOCG for which you see a black rooster on the label or neck tie which come from a defined area between Florence and Sienna. The Second Chianti DOCG or greater Chianti region that surrounds the Chianti Classico DOCG which in turn is broken up into seven sub-regions as seen in the second map below.

Fontodi is located in the heart of Chianti Classico precisely in the valley which lies south of the town of Panzano and is called the “Conca d’Oro” (the golden shell) because of its amphitheatre shape. A genuine and characteristc “Terroir”, famous for centuries for its tradition of quality wine cultivation, thanks to a unique combination of high altitude, calcar clayschist soil, lots of light, and a fantastic micro-climate – warm and dry with a marked difference in day and night-time temperatures.