Fontodi Chianti Classico DOCG

Chianti Classico DOCG from Fontodi 

Chianti Classico DOCG: 100 % Sangiovese, 100 % Tuscany!

In addition to the "super star" Flaccianello, the Chianti Classico also has great importance on Fontodi in terms of quantity. This Chianti Classico is one of three pure Sangiovese wines in the Fontodi range and  can confidently be described as the "little brother" of Flaccianello. Of course the very best grapes are used for Flaccianello, but Chianti Classico still has a lot to offer in terms of taste and quality. Nevertheless, Giovanni Manetti, the owner of the Fontodi winery, can be considered one of the pioneers of the rediscovery of the Sangiovese autochthonous grape variety, first with a commitment to the Flaccianello, later with other of his wines and finally with the example of many other winegrowers in Tuscany. Giovanni Manetti relied on Sangiovese, modern methods of vinification and the use of barrels when the whole world started to seek wines from international grape varieties and the super tuscans were in great demand. The grapes for Chianti Classico are first stored in steel tanks for two weeks and then in Troncais and Allier barrels for 18 months. The success haven´t left Signore Manetti untill today! 200,000 bottles of Chianti Classico are available every year for wine connoisseurs all over the world.

Wine enjoyment from the golden valley of Panzano in Chianti

You will find the lovely Tenuta Fontodi in the best location of the Conca d’Oro, in the golden valley of Panzano in Chianti, south of Florence. In 1968 the Manetti family bought the property. Giovanni Manetti, who now runs the estate, was only 16 years old when his family bought it. The replanting of the vineyards in the Conca d’Oro began after a careful consideration and with a clear decision in favour of the Sangiovese vines. Although international wines were "en vogue" at that time, Fontodi celebrated success after success with the Flaccianello della Pieve, which is made from one hundred per cent Sangiovese grapes since 1981. Wine lovers may well know the label adorned with an Etruscan cross and the contents of these bottles very well, but they do not know from which vineyard this noble wine comes. Today Giovanni Manetti is the manager of the 130-hectare estate - more than 80 hectares of which are vineyards. Around 400,000 bottles of wine are produced every year from the grapes, which grow on the completely organically cultivated areas.

Superstar Sangiovese: that is Chianti Classico pure in a wine glass

No doubt that the Sangiovese grape has the Fontodi range firmly under control: three of the five red wines  are made entirely from Sangiovese - of course, each with grapes from different sites and with different fermentation and ripening processes. The top name among the red wines is still the Flaccianello della Pieve Colli Toscana Centrale IGT - since 1981 produced from one hundred per cent Sangiovese. The largest quantity represents the Chianti Classico - also a 100% Sangiovese. Number three in the range of Sangiovese single-varietal wines is the Gran Selezione of Fontodi, in which Vigna del Sorbo has been renamed since the 2010 vintage. The exact opposite of these three Sangioveses is the Syrah Case Via - a pure international red in the Fontodi range, which despite the Syrah grapes reflects the typical terroir of Panzano. Rare but no less popular is the Meriggio - a white wine from Chianti Classico from 100% Sauvignon Blanc.

Tenuta Fontodi: organic wine meets dream holiday on perfect terroir

The use of pesticides was abandoned early in Fontodi - today the winery is officially certified as an organic estate. The interplay of terroir, i.e. the sites where the vines grow and the grapes ripen, and the "Galestro" soil, which is ideal for Sangiovese, produces wines that do not need to fear international comparison. All these conditions ensure that the Sangiovese ripens perfectly in the Conca d’Oro and at the same time retains its freshness, acidity and structure. Naturally, the international Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Syrah or Sauvignon Blanc grape varieties also feel very at home in the Fontodi vineyards - of course in much smaller quantities. It is also truly splendid to spend your holiday in one of the two agriturismo estates that belong to the winery. Whether in Villa Pecille on the upper edge of the Conca d’Oro and not far from the medieval Panzano in Chianti, with its five fantastic apartments and swimming pool surrounded by vineyards. Or in the agriturismo La Rota, which is located in the heart of the valley with three lovely furnished apartments and a pool. This is pure Tuscany!