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Fontodi Flaccianello delle Pieve Colli della Toscana Centrale 2012

Reviews

97 -Decanter -

Manetti calls 2012 'the vintage of two faces': summer was very hot until mid-August, when some rain brought cooler temperatures which slowed down ripening. In chillier zones than Panzano, Sangiovese struggled to ripen, he says. Even more expressive than when it was initially released, the 2012 has a decidedly exotic manner. Saffron, liquorice and cardamom overlay violets and earth. The tannins are polished with an intriguing chalky texture. It's compact and full but balanced, with a core of vibrant acidity and a long explosive finish. This has the bones to age brilliantly.

97 -Vinous -

Tasted next to the 2012 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo, the Flaccianello is richer, deeper and more flamboyant. Super-ripe red stone fruit, smoke, licorice and dark spices meld together in a deep, powerful wine. The 2012 is impressive, but personally I prefer the finesse and freshness of the Sorbo. The greater influence of new French oak is also felt in the wine's texture. Still, that is splitting hairs, as the level here is high. Very high.

97 -Decanter -

96 -Falstaff -

94 -James Suckling -

94 -Robert Parker's Wine Advocate -

Whereas the 2011 vintage is overtly ripe, the 2012 Flaccianello della Pieve is slightly more evolved. Instead of sweet ripeness, you get savory ripeness with dried fruit, prune, black licorice, balsam herb, rosemary essence and scorched earth. The 2012 season produced fewer flowers, and yields in this vintage were naturally reduced as a result. Like 2011, however, this vintage saw an early harvest thanks to hot and dry conditions during the summer that increased the speed of ripening. This edition reveals more thickness and dense concentration as well, something you notice in the intensity of the mouthfeel and the firmness of the wine's tannic structure.

90 -Wine Spectator -

Technical Details

Blend 100% Sangiovese
Winemaker Giovanni Manetti
Country Italy
Region Tuscany
Appellation Tuscany
Vineyard Estate vineyards located in the Conca d'Oro (Golden Shell) amphitheater in Panzano in Chianti (altitude ~400 meters)
Farming Method Organic Practices
Oak a mix of new and second-fill French oak
Fermentation Maceration and indigenous yeast fermentation in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. Malolactic fermentation completed in barrel. Gravity-flow winemaking
Aging / Cooperage 24 months in a mix of new and second-fill French oak
Alcohol 15%
Production 4,000 cases

Fontodi Flaccianello delle Pieve Colli della Toscana Centrale 2012

Name: Fontodi Flaccianello delle Pieve Colli della Toscana Centrale 2012
Brand: First Bottle
SKU: 1015099
Price: 149.95 USD
Availability: OutOfStock

Sangiovese | Tuscany

DC97, VN97, DC97, FS96, JS94, WA94, WS90

Organic Practices

$250.00

$149.95

750ML

40% OFF RETAIL!

Giovanni Manetti calls 2012 "the vintage of two faces": summer was very hot until mid-August, when rain brought cooler temperatures that slowed ripening and allowed for a more nuanced style than the overtly ripe 2011. The result is a Flaccianello that hides its richness within a broader fleshiness and succulence, with exotic aromatics of saffron, licorice, and cardamom overlaying violets and earth, and a palate that is compact and full but beautifully balanced, with a core of vibrant acidity and a long, explosive finish. Decanter awarded 97, Vinous 97, Farr Vintners 96, James Suckling 94, and Wine Advocate 94. Wine Spectator gave it 90, though multiple critics have noted this wine has evolved magnificently over the past decade and has the bones to age brilliantly. Now fully open and showing all of its complexity, at a price that is exceptional for this vintage. Grab it while you can.

About The Producer

Fontodi is located in Panzano and in an area called the "Conca d’Oro" (the golden shell) because of its amphitheater shape which the winery overlooks. A genuine and characteristic terroir, famous for centuries and one of the highest regarded growing sites in all of Chianti. It has a unique combination of high altitude, calcareous clay/schist soil, lots of light, and a climate that is warm and dry with a marked difference in day and night-time temperatures. ll Fontodi wines are produced from estate vineyards, picked by hand, chosen with care and vinified in a way that exalts the character of the vines and the territory.

$250.00

$149.95

750ML

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