"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 |
Vinous 96+ Pts | Jane Anson 96 Pts | Decanter 97 Pts | Wine Advocate 96+ Pts |
The year 2021 was distinguished by a cold winter with little precipitation. An (initially) cool spring with adequate rainfall was followed by a long, hot summer but with good diurnal temperature variations that allowed excellent completion of the grape ripening process. Worthy of note, an initial delayed development of the vines that resolved itself as the season progressed.
The harvest was extremely rewarding, in terms of performance and excellent quality and health of the grapes going to cellar; these grapes will yield rich, well-structured wines thanks to their thick, but well-balanced, fresh skins. There was a slight decrease in quantity, due to the insufficient rain during the winter which hindered budding in the early-maturing areas.
Beginning of the harvest: September 9th, 2021
End of the harvest: October 13th, 2021
Rainfalls (sum of rainfall between April 1st and September 30th): 503,1 mm
Temperature Index (sum of average daily temperatures from April 1st to September 30th): 4.511,3 °C
Evaluation: Very good
Prodotto in Italia | Allergeni: contiente solfiti
The combination of these two cépages produces a perfectly balanced wine.
The sangiovese plot is south facing with a 12% gradient and is situated at an average heigth of 240 mt. above sea level. The plot's Sangiovese biotypes have been carefully selected to bring concentration and complexity to the wine along with good acidity for long ageing. The Merlot plot is south-west facing with a 5% gradient and is situated at an average height of 250 mt. above sea level. Merlot sets off Sangiovese to perfections, complementing its stern elegance with its opulence, softness and colour.
La Storia di Siepi
Siepi dates back to just under six hundred years ago, when the Siepi and Fonterutoli lands were inherited by the Mazzei family in 1435. A document in the family archives in Fonterutoli lists Siepi among the assets belonging to Madonna Smeralda Mazzei, describing it as "a piece of land adjacent to the house, with olive trees, vines and oaks...", making it unquestionably one of the oldest recorded vineyards in Italy. Over the centuries Siepi began to be celebrated for the quality of its Sangiovese, to the point where numerous wine-growers floeked to the vineyards from all over Tuscany to beg for cuttings to take home and graft onto their owne vines. Siepi has always produced wines of superior structure and sophisticated elegance. The huge job of massal selection, that allows the Castello di Fonterutoli today to boast an unparalleled viticultural heritage, began in the Siepi vineyard.