FONTODI CHIANTI CLASSICO DOCG 2021
| Grape: | 100% Sangiovese |
| Vineyard: | Fontodi |
| Origin: | Chianti, Italy |
| Vintage: | 2021 |
| ABV%: | 14.5% |
| Colour: | Deep ruby red |
| Aromas: | Aromas of ripe plum and sour cherry, with notes of tobacco and leather from oak ageing |
| Flavours: | On the palate, it has great depth of flavour, with juicy fruit and supple tannins giving way to a silky-smooth texture. This Chianti Classico has superb structure and finishes with a fine mineral note. |
The Manetti family has owned Fontodi since 1968 but has been in Chianti for centuries. Though they have always made wine, their primary business is still the production of Chianti'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 99 hectares of vineyard, 95% of which are Sangiovese, are situated in the prime 'Conca d'Oro' (golden shell) of Panzano, and have been converted to organic viticulture. Giovanni is now following biodynamic principles to obtain the best quality fruit.
Vineyard
Fontodi's 90 hectares of south-facing vineyards sit at 450 metres above sea level in the Conca d'Oro (the 'golden shell'), an amphitheatre-shaped valley to the south of Panzano. Welldraining 'Scaglia Toscana' soils are made up of a mixture of Galestro (clay schist) and Alberese (limestone) and encourage the vines to grow deep roots. The Sangiovese used for the Fontodi Chianti Classico come predominantly from 10-year-old, guyottrained vines, with a proportion of fruit from the same 25-year-old vines which produce the 'Flaccianello'. The quality of the Sangiovese grapes from the Fontodi vineyards obviates the need for Merlot or other varieties as a remedial blender.
2021 Vintage
The 2021 vintage can be characterised as a challenging one, starting with very low spring temperatures causing slow and irregular shoot development. High levels of rainfall also had an impact on flowering and fruit set. These factors resulted in significantly reduced yields. However, the quality of the remaining fruit was excellent. The summer was hot and dry, but the excellent water reserves from the spring rain aided the vines in avoiding any further stress. Hot days and cool nights allowed for optimal ripening and developed a lively acidity and elegant and complex aromas
Winemakers Highlights
After picking, the grapes were carried to the Fontodi winery and carefully selected on sorting tables. Fermentation took place in temperature controlled stainless-steel tanks with indigenous yeasts and lasted for around two weeks. After fermentation, the wine was racked into 225-litre French oak barriques, a mixture of Tronçais and Allier, where it underwent malolactic fermentation. It then spent additional time in second use barriques before bottling. Finally, the wine matured in bottle in the Fontodi cellars before release.