Fontodi Meriggio Bianco Colli Toscana Centrale IGT

Meriggio Colli Toscana Central IGT from Fontodi

A white wine from the Golden Valley

Apart from "Queen Sangiovese", the autochthonous grape variety of the Chianti Classico par excellence, other grapes grow and prosper at Fontodi. For example the international varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Syrah or Sauvignon Blanc. And from these latter Sauvignon Blanc grapes is produced at Fontodi one of the rare white wines from the Conca d’Oro - the golden valley of Panzano in Chianti. Merrigio Colli Toscana Centrale IGT is made of 100% Sauvignon Blanc. The grapes come from the vineyards near Villa La Rota, which is a nice place to spend your Tuscany holiday. After harvesting, the grapes are ripened at a controlled temperature in stainless steel tanks for six months. For great disappointment of all white wine drinkers, Merrigio from Fontodi is only produced in very small quantities: only 8,000 bottles per year leave the winery. So the best thing to do is to stock some bottles of it and enjoy it fresh!

Tenuta Fontodi: a dream vineyard in the hills between Florence and Siena

The road between Florence and Siena, the Strada Chiantigiana leads through one of the most beautiful and historic landscapes in Italy: Tuscany. With its vineyards, olive groves and cypresses, it is a synonym for many people for Italian lifestyle, joie de vivre and good taste - not least because of the excellent wines produced here in Chianti Classico. And to a certain extent one of the centres of good taste is the Tenuta Fontodi. With a total area of 130 hectares - 80 of which are vineyards - and an annual production of 400,000 bottles of wine, the estate is one of the larger wineries in the area. In 1968, the Manetti family bought the property, including the vineyards, as a weekend home in the countryside. However, the family quickly became aware of the great treasure they had been given: absolute top locations on the slopes of the world-famous Conca d’Oro, in the shell-shaped valley of Panzano in Chianti, with the very special terroir and ideal soil conditions for viticulture. Since the beginning of the 1980s Giovanni Manetti has been the sole director of Tenuta Fontodi, and his brother Marco is taking care of the terracotta production thanks to which the family had originally gained fame.

Organic and sustainable by conviction

In the interplay of terroir, i.e. the sites where the vines grow and the grapes ripen, and the "Galestro" soil ideal for Sangiovese, Fontodi produces wines that can stand up to international comparison. All these conditions ensure that the Sangiovese grape ripens perfectly in the Conca d’Oro while maintaining its freshness, acidity and structure. Of course, the international grape varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Syrah or Sauvignon Blanc feel much at home here, although to a much smaller extent. Another significant thing about the quality of the wines is certainly the natural cultivation of the vineyards which is really important for Giovanni Manetti. Namely he was the one who initiated the project "Panzano sostenibile" - i.e. "sustainable Panzano". The idea is that organic farming works best if the neighbour does the same. Then nature will benefit the most, biodiversity will increase and a new equilibrium will emerge. In the meantime, a large part of the winegrowers in Panzano joined this project. Since 2003 the vineyards of Fontodi have been cultivated according to biodynamic principles and the winery is officially certified as organic - like many other wineries in the "organic-district No.1 in Italy"

World-class wines from Chianti Classico

The main focus at Fontodi in terms of grape varieties is the autochthonous Sangiovese. It occupies most of the vineyards. No wonder, since three of the five red wines from Fontodi are made 100 per cent from Sangiovese. On the one hand, of course, there is Chianti Classico with a maturation period of 18 months, of which 200,000 bottles are bottled year after year and enjoyed all over the world. Another red wine and since 2012 "solo Sangiovese" is the Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo Chianti Classico. It rests and matures for 24 months in new and used Troncais and Allier barrels. The Sangiovese-superstar in Fontodi’s range is still the Flaccianello della Pieve Colli Toscana Centrale IGT, which was and is made from one hundred per cent Sangiovese from the very first bottle. To a much smaller extent, another red wine is produced at the Tenuta Fontodi: the Syrah Case Via. One thing makes it significantly different from the latter three red wines - it is made entirely from the international Syrah grape variety.