Fontodi 2017 Chianti Classico

Fontodi is a certified organic estate which extends over 300 acres of which about 170 are planted with vines. The type of agriculture practiced is inspired by the principles of respect for 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.

This 2017 is 100% Sangiovese from estate vineyards. Fermentation and maceration was in temperature controlled tanks for at least 2 weeks with indigenous yeast. The wine then aged in Troncais and Allier French oak barrels for 18 months.

Selected #26 on the Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Wines of 2020. They scored it 95 points saying "Fragrant and delicious, this opens with aromas of mature black-skinned fruit, blue flower, leather, underbrush and a whiff of French oak. The full-bodied, enveloping palate delivers baked plum, Marasca cherry, licorice and a note of espresso framed in fine-grained enveloping tannins that give it a smooth texture and a weightless finesse."

James Suckling scored it 94 points saying "A rich, layered CC with intense cherry and flower character, as well as orange peel. Full-bodied with firm, velvety tannins and a flavorful finish. Drink or hold."

Vinous scored it 94 points saying "The 2017 Chianti Classico Fontodi is a wine of extreme elegance that shows how much the house style has evolved here. A decade ago, in a warm year the Fontodi Chianti Classico would have been opulent, but these days proprietor Giovanni Manetti seeks finesse more than power, and that is exactly what comes through here. Ripe red Sangiovese fruit, rose petal, blood orange and spice infuse this racy, exotic Chianti Classico with so much character. I loved it."