Wine Advisor
Fontodi, Vigna del Sorbo Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2009
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2009 Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna del Sorbo is impressive. The overtness of the year is nicely balanced by the inherent freshness and acidity of Sangiovese. Hints of tobacco, cedar, licorice and spices are layered into the insistent finish. This is a terrific showing. I very much like the energy, length and focus of the fruit. I can’t wait to see how this develops over the coming years. The Vigna del Sorbo is a bit overlooked in the Fontodi stable, but it is often striking, especially after a few years in bottle. This historic vineyard is planted to 90% Sangiovese and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. The Sorbo has an element of freshness that the Flaccianello doesn’t have. I will not be surprised if over time it enjoys a more gradual and finessed evolution in bottle. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2027. I was in Panzano in mid-August 2009, just as a huge heat wave began to take hold of Northern Italy. Growers were tempted to pick early, but Sangiovese is a late-ripening variety that needs the extra hang time to develop its full range of aromas and flavors. Proprietor Giovanni Manetti waited until late September to start harvesting, and it paid off. His Sangiovese based wines in particular are fabulous in 2009. Importer: Vinifera Imports, Ronkonkoma, NY; tel. (631) 467-5907
About the Producer
Fontodi is located in the heart of Chianti Classico precisely in the valley which lies south of the town of Panzano and is called the “Conca d’Oro” (the golden shell) because of its amphitheatre shape. A genuine and characteristc “Terroir”, famous for centuries for its tradition of quality wine cultivation, thanks to a unique combination of high altitude, calcar clayschist soil, lots of light, and a fantastic micro-climate – warm and dry with a marked difference in day and night-time temperatures. All Fontodi wines are produced from grapes coming from their own vineyards, picked by hand, chosen with care and vinified in a way that exalts the character of the vines and the territory. The Fontodi Oil “Bio” is produced from its own olives which are delicately pressed the same day as the harvest in order to preserve all the freshness and the fragrance of the fruit.
