Description
Fontodi has belonged to the Manetti family since 1968. The family has been associated for centuries with another activity typical of the Chianti region, the production of its famous “terrecotte” tiles. And it is in the name of this strong link with the territory and a great passion for quality that the estate has moved successfully towards ever more attentive cultivation of the vineyards and a more profound knowledge of the potential of Sangiovese in the zone of Panzano.
Fontodi is a certified organic estate that extends over 130 hectares of which about 70 are planted with vines. The type of agriculture practised 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.
Giovanni Manetti and Fontodi represent the pinnacle of quality that can be achieved in this part of Tuscany. That he has become a symbolic head of the region only brings more prestige and pedigree to an appellation that demands our highest respect and admiration.
Tasting Notes
I tasted this wine as a preview about eight months ago, and it has fleshed out considerably since then. The 2014 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo impresses for the depth and the intensity of the fruit. The bouquet is shapely and round with dark cherry nuances, blackberry, grilled herb and sweet spice. You also get a lingering moment of strong firmness and power on the close. This wine does the vintage proud. [94 Points, Monica Larner – October 2017, robertparker.com]