"One of the 50 wines that changed Italy wine style" (Gambero Rosso)
Winery Castello di Fonterutoli |
Winery location Chianti Classico, Toscana |
Grape varieties 50% Sangiovese, 50% Merlot |
Alcohol 14.50% |
Total acidity 6.00% |
Vineyards location Siepi (Castellina in Chianti): 260 m (850 ft) a.s.l.; S-SW exp. |
Soil Mainly Alberese |
Vineyards age 23 - 36 years |
Training system Spur cordon-training and Guyot |
Nr. of vines per hectar 4,500 - 6,500 plants |
Harvest Hand picked starting from September 5th (Merlot), from September 17th (Sangiovese) |
Fermentation temperature 26 - 28°C, in stainless steeel tanks |
Period of maceration 14 (Merlot), 18 (Sangiovese) days |
Ageing 18 months in small french oak barrels (70% new): Barriques (Merlot), Tonneaux (Sangiovese) |
Finissage 3 months in concrete tanks |
Bottling June 2023 |
Available on the market October 2023 |
Production 34.000 bottles |
Formats 750 ml - 1,5 lt - 3 lt - 6 lt - 12 lt - 18 lt |
Cases 6 bottles wooden box (750 ml), single wooden case (other formats) |
First vintage 1992 |
Ageing potential Over 20 years |
Key description Monumentally built, crispy notes of elder, plum, berries, sandalwood, tobacco, with a very long, bright finish
|
Food pairing Flavorful, textured dishes, dark sauces, game, blue cheeses |
Wine Advocate 96 Pts | James Suckling 97 Pts | Jane Anson 97 Pts | Decanter 95 Pts |
The 2022 harvest year was characterised by a mild winter, but with scarce rainfall. Springtime temperatures where initially within the average for the period, and then gradually rose; this increase allowed for the homogenous and constant vegetative growth of the plants. The budding stage on Sangiovese vines began around the 10th April, and was found to shift based on the different pedoclimatic characteristics of our vineyards. The high temperatures and low rainfall accompanied the formation and subsequent flowering of the inflorescences, which took place on the 16th May, up to fruit-setting of the clusters.
The summer was also particularly dry, giving the grapes unique characteristics: the exposure of the clusters to high temperatures from the very first stages of their growth thickened the skins, ensuring the grapes held up well during the ripening stage.
In terms of plant-protection, the paucity of rainfall, combined with the high temperatures and humidity levels within normal values, allowed using a targeted approach against the principal grape plant diseases and pests.
Overall, the harvest was more than satisfactory in terms of health of the grapes, with a reduction of the volume produced, due to the scarce rainfall, that affected the weight of the grape clusters.
Beginning of the harvest: September 1st, 2022
End of the harvest: October 6th, 2022
Rainfalls (sum of rainfall between April 1st and September 30th): 440-621 mm
Temperature Index (sum of average daily temperatures from April 1st to September 30th): 5.455,39 °C
Evaluation: Good
Winery Castello di Fonterutoli |
Winery location Chianti Classico, Toscana |
Grape varieties 50% Sangiovese, 50% Merlot |
Alcohol 14.66% |
Total acidity 6.34% |
Vineyards location Siepi (Castellina in Chianti): 260 m (850 ft) a.s.l.; S-SW exp. |
Soil Mainly Alberese |
Vineyards age 23 - 36 years |
Training system Spur cordon-training and Guyot |
Nr. of vines per hectar 4,500 - 6,500 plants |
Harvest Hand picked starting from September 10th (Merlot), from September 24th (Sangiovese) |
Fermentation temperature 26 - 28°C, in stainless steeel tanks |
Period of maceration 14 (Merlot), 18 (Sangiovese) days |
Ageing 18 months in small french oak barrels (70% new): Barriques (Merlot), Tonneaux (Sangiovese) |
Finissage 3 months in concrete tanks |
Bottling June 2023 |
Available on the market October 2023 |
Production 34.000 bottles |
Formats 750 ml - 1,5 lt - 3 lt - 6 lt - 12 lt - 18 lt |
Cases 6 bottles wooden box (750 ml), single wooden case (other formats) |
First vintage 1992 |
Ageing potential Over 20 years |
Key description Monumentally built, crispy notes of elder, plum, berries, sandalwood, tobacco, with a very long, bright finish
|
Food pairing Flavorful, textured dishes, dark sauces, game, blue cheeses |