Fontodi - Chianti Classico DOCG 2021
Price: $56.99
| Producer | Fontodi |
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| Country | ITALY |
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| Region | Tuscany |
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| Subregion | Chianti Classico |
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| Varietal | Sangiovese |
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| Vintage | 2021 |
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| Sku | 35471 |
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Wine Spectator: 94 Points
This red straddles the fruity and savory sides of Sangiovese, revealing cherry and blackberry fruit offset by eucalyptus, juniper and wild rosemary flavors. Lively and fluid, with tension on the complex, minerally aftertaste. Best from 2026 through 2042.
Vinous: 94 Points
The 2021 Chianti Classico is classic wine from the estate, done in the more restrained style that has become the norm here of late. There's plenty of Panzano richness, but more energy and less heaviness than what was common just a few years ago. Giovanni Manetti and his team have given the Chianti Classico gorgeous refinement. Spice, flowers, mocha and blue fruits linger, all wrapped together by ultra-finessed tannins. The 2021 spent 20-22 months in barrel—65% cask and 35% neutral French oak barriques. Drinking Window: 2026 – 2041.
Proprietor Giovanni Manetti and his son Bernardo presented a stunning set of 2021s on my most recent visit. The 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. I can’t recommend these new releases highly enough.
As for Giovanni Manetti, he continues to lead the way in Chianti Classico by making brilliant wines while also uniting producers around a vision for the region in his role as two-term President of the Consorzio del Chianti Classico. These are exceptionally rare qualities in any individual, but to see them in one person is impressive.
Decanter Magazine: 94 Points
Emblematic of the exceptional quality offered at Chianti Classico’s annata level, Fontodi’s 2021 over-delivers yet again, exuding the wild, tousled, arid Tuscan countryside on a backdrop of dark, layered fruit. Hints of coffee and liquorice ripple through concentrated black cherry and blackberry. With ripe, gravelly tannins, this shows the power of the vintage without being forceful and maintains charismatic energy throughout. It's worth waiting a few more months before tucking in, but properly cellared, this will easily keep delivering for a decade. Drinking Window: 2025 – 2035
