"The Fontodi wines embody the essence of site but in the more refined, nuanced style that is such a signature here today. Picking a bit earlier while also reducing French oak imprint has made a huge difference." - Antonio Galloni, Vinous
It proved a brilliant evening two weeks ago when Bernardo Manetti from Fontodi joined us at our Education Room and spoke through each piece of what makes up this wonderful Tuscan family operation. Founded by Bernardo's grandfather Dino in 1968, this estate cultivated a forward-thinking culture in organic viticulture within the picturesque Panzano township that has persisted and inspired through to the modern era. Each separate label we were guided through by Bernardo felt its very own singular expression of beautiful Sangiovese fruit, deftly combining a sense of core complexity and mid-palate levity.
This is indeed by design, as partnered by his father Giovanni, the two carefully select the aging vessels used (with terracotta amphora in the mix) and time the fruit spends hidden within. For wines like the ethereal 'Dino' (a tribute to their legend), it sees 12-15 months of time strictly in the amphora with zero sulphur added, while the more classically-styled Vigna del Sorborange sees a year in barriques (with oak a blend of new and old) before another year in larger wooden casks to bring further nuance. The shining flagship label, Flaccianello della Pieve, is made up from their very finest berries, lying in wait for 18-24 months in French oak followed by a year of bottle age before release to the market; it's this stunner where the near 100-point reviews often find their way in!
Take a browse below for a list of their full range, many soon to be available over the coming weeks, plus their two bright and accessible entry Chianti Classicos '22s that are ready in-store now and opening up beautifully for youthful enjoyment. If any of the other bottles interest past those two, please use the links to email us your order, with special prices applying for the next week only! There is no hesitation on our part when we say Fontodi lie in our highest echelon of Tuscan producers, and each of the following prove that statement in their own detailed, delicious way.
Here now & ready to enjoy -
'Filetta di Lamole' Chianti Classico 2022
$95 on special this week ($109 RRP)
"Deep, shaded blackish ruby. Light but true nose. Very ‘cool’ palate entry. Beautiful, fresh, composed Chianti Classico with no rough edges but the balance to last. Really good wine!" - 17.5/20 Points, Jancis Robinson MW
"The 2022 Chianti Classico Filetta di Lamole is laced with wild cherry, white pepper, sage, mint and dried herbs. Here, the warm vintage was very much a plus for a wine that can be on the slender side because of the elevation at this site. Soft, silky and caressing, the Filetta is a star. It spent 18-20 months in cask, an approach that works so well here." - 93 Points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Chianti Classico 2022
$95 on special this week ($109 RRP)
"With 20 of its 110 hectares in the western sector of Panzano, Fontodi ended up losing over 20% of its total volume of grapes in the violent mid-August hailstorm. Despite reduced quantities, quality certainly wasn’t compromised. The hot, arid summer has yielded a particularly dense and still somewhat austere wine. Coffee, blackcurrant and dusty stone surface furtively on the nose. Powerful and hearty with just enough of a wild edge, this is saturated with dark fruit and gravelly minerals. The tannins are properly chewy. but it is that intrinsic juiciness that stands out and has me craving a grilled steak." - 93 Points, Michaela Morris, Decanter
"The organic Fontodi 2022 Chianti Classico shows a dark color and a deep, velvety appearance. The bouquet opens to earthy aromas with baked plum, cherry and pressed blue flower. This is quite a rich edition. It's a little different than past releases, but it's also accessible and opulent. This 100% Sangiovese is fermented in steel and ages in both barrique and botte for 24 months." - 93 Points, Monica Larner, Robert Parker Wine Advocate
IF INTERESTED IN ANY BELOW, PLEASE EMAIL YOUR ORDER TO sales@thewineemporium.com.au
Arriving soon in smaller quantities -
Bianco + Chianti Classico range
Bianco 2024
$150 pre-arrival special ($175 RRP)
(Very limited production/availability)
"100% old-vine Trebbiano—mostly from vineyards in Panzano, with about 20% from Fontodi's Pastrolo vineyard in Lamole—fermented in barrel. A wine of uncommon elegance, readers will find a white of real pedigree. A touch of lees stirring amplifies texture, but there is plenty of freshness as well." - 93 Points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
'Dino' Chianti Classico 2022
$150 pre-arrival special ($175 RRP)
(Very limited production/availability)
// Amphora-aged + low sulphur
"The 2022 Chianti Classico Dino is another attractive wine in this challenging vintage. It is done entirely in amphora, always from a single site in Panzano marked by cold nights and therefore wide diurnal shifts. Aromatic and nuanced, the 2022 impresses with its freshness and verve. This is beautifully done." - 92 Points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
"A slightly lighter ruby colour with a trace of purple in the rim, and there are discreet aromas of undergrowth, straw, dried herbs and dusty stones, the palate very drying with a leaner profile, super-savoury with plenty of fine, soft tannins that run the full length of the palate. A lighter and lower-alcohol Chianti Classico." - 92 Points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review
'San Leolino' Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2022
$225 pre-arrival special ($260 RRP)
(Very limited availability)
"The 2022 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Terrazze San Leolino is very quickly becoming one of the flagship wines at Fontodi. Elevation and alberese soils yield a Chianti Classico endowed with striking salinity and tension. Dark red cherry, plum, spice, new leather, incense and blood orange stain the palate. The 2022 spent 12 months in French oak barriques and a second year in French oak casks. What a wine!" - 96 Points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
"A nice deep red colour tinged with purple; concentrated dark cherry and plum aromas with a dusting of spices and an earthy/stony aspect which is very sangiovese—and nice and ripe. It's deep and mysterious on the palate, powerful and rich, with a sheen of fine-grained, drying tannins and a long, long carry. A super-smart sangiovese that is all about the fruit and the terroir." - 96 Points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review
'Vigna del Sorbo' Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2022
$225 pre-arrival special ($260 RRP)
"Deep and bright red-purple hue. The smoked charcuterie, dry earth/terracotta, seasoned leather, dried herb and bresaola aromas are striking and complex. The palate is powerful, concentrated and loaded with tannin, giving it great presence and gravitas. Striking power and persistence: a top wine that will age superbly but can already be enjoyed, especially with hearty foods." - 96 Points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review
"The 2022 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is an elegant, sophisticated wine. Black cherry, plum, new leather, liquorice, cloves and mocha are all amplified. All of the natural intensity of the year comes through in a potent, decidedly virile Vigna del Sorbo. The 2022 spent 12 months in French oak barriques and a second year in French oak casks." - 94 Points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Plus two previous vintages available:
'Vigna del Sorbo' Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2019$185 pre-arrival special ($209 RRP)
"At an elevation of 400 metres, Vigna del Sorbo boasts Chianti Classico’s classic Galestro soil. The warm southwest-facing vineyard typically yields a powerful, intense wine in need of ageing. The 2019 demonstrates all the wild, penetrating characteristics of this site but it comes into harmony quickly, revealing its balance and precision. Wood-driven top notes of smoke and vanilla meld into pressed violets, rosemary and liquorice. Luscious red cherry and dark plum flesh are wrapped in long, layered chalky tannins. Across the palate there's an energetic beam of unwavering acidity, giving the wine a linear feel. The finish reverberates with fennel and crushed stone." - 97 Points, Michaela Morris, Decanter
'Vigna del Sorbo' Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2021
$225 pre-arrival special ($260 RRP)
"Deep ruby with the beginning of orange tinges. Lifted and perfumed and at the same time displaying brooding cherry fruit. Lush, juicy fruit, mouth-filling but maintaining effortlessly a certain elegance. Long gravelly tannins and juicy fruit on the finish. Could well be the best Vigna del Sorbo ever released." - 18/20 Points, Walter Speller, JancisRobinson.com
IF INTERESTED IN ANY BELOW, PLEASE EMAIL YOUR ORDER TO sales@thewineemporium.com.au
Flaccianello range
Flaccianello della Pieve 2022
$345 pre-arrival special ($395 RRP)
"Deep red with a tinge of purple in the rim; there are dried leather and dry underbush aromas with background hints of broken rock, ironstone and dusty earth, but the wine is less marked by oak at this age than some earlier vintages. It's tremendously concentrated on the palate with masses of firm and drying tannins that add structure, length and ageworthiness. A wine of presence and potential, that needs more time to show at its best." - 97 Points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review
"Another icon from Tuscany is the Fontodi 2022 Flaccianello della Pieve. This organic wine is beautiful, quite bold and thickly extracted. Across the board, these wines from the 2022 vintage made by Fontodi all show high alcohol and a rather robust character, and the same goes for the Flaccianello, whose alcohol content is 15%. This vintage is more accessible overall, with finely tuned tannins. This wine represents a selection of the best estate fruit at various elevations with both alberese limestone soils and galestro shale." -
96 Points, Monica Larner, Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Plus two previous vintages available:
Flaccianello della Pieve 2020
$345 pre-arrival special ($395 RRP)
"The 2021 Flaccianello della Pieve is another exceptional wine from Fontodi this year. Ripe, silky tannins wrap around a core of dark fruit as the 2021 makes its presence felt from the first taste. Sumptuous, racy and dense, this is just magnificent. As has been the case for some time, Flaccianello is a blend of mostly three parcels throughout the estate but closer to town." - 98 Points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Flaccianello della Pieve 2021
$345 pre-arrival special ($395 RRP)
"Deep and dark colour in the glass, the bouquet earthy/woodsy and smoky/peaty, dried mushroom, dark fruits hiding deep within. Not a primary fruit wine by a long shot. There's a touch of earthiness about it while the wine is full-bodied and powerful, concentrated and emphatic to taste, with firm and slightly aggressive tannins and a generous serving of oak. The structure suggests it needs more time. Fruit is hard to locate but is definitely in there: drinking a glass with food reveals its profound core of gorgeous ripe fruit. A statuesque wine that needs age, or else a hearty protein accompaniment if you broach it now." - 97 Points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review
Two alternatives / highlights from our masterclass
'Case Via' Syrah 2022
$139 pre-arrival special ($159 RRP)
(Limited production/availability)
"A standout expression of Syrah from the heart of Tuscany, Fontodi's 'Case Via' exudes character and elegance. This wine offers an intense bouquet of ripe blackberries, black pepper, violets, and hints of smoked meat, seamlessly complemented by subtle oak and herbal undertones. On the palate, it delivers a full-bodied experience with silky tannins, bright acidity, and a layered complexity that leads to a long, velvety finish. Perfectly suited for pairing with grilled meats, game dishes, or aged cheeses, 'Case Via' is a compelling example of how Syrah thrives in the unique terroir of Chianti." - Importer Notes
Vin Santo 2015 375ml
$185 pre-arrival special ($209 RRP)
(Limited production/availability)
"Medium-full amber colour with tawny reflections; the bouquet is tremendously complex with malt, toffee, chocolate and dried fruit (raisin, prune) aromas, a tealeafy overtone and a little perfectly acceptable volatility. The wine is only medium-sweet despite its 300 grams per litre of residual sugar. The acidity and VA really clean up the finish and add vitality and length. A smashing vin santo." - 97 Points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review
IF INTERESTED IN ANY ABOVE, PLEASE EMAIL YOUR ORDER TO sales@thewineemporium.com.au
Fontodi Olive Oil 500ml
Available for $69
"One of the best around - and trust us, we've tried a fair few!" -
The Wine Emporium Team
If interested in any of these pre-arrival specials, please email your order through to sales@thewineemporium.com.au
The first two Chianti Classicos and the Olive Oil are available for purchase now on our website.
If you have any questions, please contact us on (07)32521117
or email sales@thewineemporium.com.au
// All special prices valid until Friday the 26th of June