~ The Cellars of Fontodi are meticulously appointed ~
Fontodi and Felsina are masters of Sangiovese. Owned by the Mannetti and Poggiali families respectively, the estates share a common thread in that they both enlist Franco Bernabei as consulting winemaker. The pinnacles of their production may very well be their single vineyard Gran Selezione.
The last time I tasted these wines, the state of the world was rather different. As time has passed and the wines have settled somewhat from their infancy, they to have they evolved. Recently, I opened both to check on their progress.
~ The inner “courtyard” at Fontodi is charmingly decorated and dotted with lemon trees ~
Felsina’s vineyard Colonia was planted in 1993. Sitting at the top of the Rancia hill, the parcel is essentially a subplot of the larger Rancia vineyard. The first vintage produced was 2006, though it was actually bottled without a designation. Production in Colonia is greatly reduced and Felsina’s team restricts production to about 5 buds per vine. As a result, only 3,000 bottles per vintage are produced. The wine is aged in new French oak for 30 months and is then blended, bottled and aged an additional 12 months prior to release.
~ Felsina utilizes a variety of barrels in crafting their wines ~
The 2016 Felsina Gran Selezione Colonia is deep violet in the glass. I double decanted the wine about 45 minutes before we sat down to dinner and that was sufficient. From the glass, aromas of crushed cherry, flowers and mint are notable. On the palate, the wine is full bodied with racy tannins that make it approachable now with food. Deep flavors of black cherry are framed by toasted spice, tobacco leaf and cured meat. The acidity is bright and mouthwatering. In comparison with the Fontodi, this has always been the more forward of the two and that’s still the case. Yet, Colonia’s best days lie ahead. Continue cellaring 3-5 more years. 94 points. Find this wine.
~ The Colonia continues to evolve and express in a very positive manner ~
Vigna del Sorbo began life as a Chianti Classico Riserva but was “promoted” so to speak after the creation of the Gran Selezione designation. Fontodi is certified organic and has been crafting wines in Chianti’s Conca d’Oro since 1968. In comparison to Colonia, the availability of Vigna del Sorbo is widespread; almost 30,000 bottles per vintage are produced.
~ Basking in the late afternoon sun, it’s easy to see why this area of Chianti Classico is the “Golden slope” ~
The 2016 Fontodi Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is sourced from vineyards that are 40 years old. The wine is vinified in stainless steel and then aged in French barrique for 24 months, 50% of which are new. Beyond that, the wine is aged in bottle for 12-14 months before release.
We decanted the wine for about an hour but all that did was make it approachable. The needle hasn’t moved much with this wine in 20 months. Deep garnet in the glass, the wine’s aromas are notable. Black cherry, dusty tobacco, freshly cut flowers and herbs are very attractive.
On the palate, the wine is brooding. The ripe cherry flavors are obvious, but they are backed by a large scaled wall of tannins. Dusty tannins, but intrusive nonetheless. Fennel and coffee notes appear on the midpalate but are shortened by the wine’s “grip” which remains somewhat charry. The structure and backward nature of this wine exceeds even Flaccianello which is a much more elegant and sultry wine from Fontodi. This is a bistecca wine. I wouldn’t even try this before 2026 and even then, 2031 feels more right. 92 points at the moment. Find this wine.
~ This is a deep, dark, brooding Sangiovese that needs to see its 10th birthday before it begins to become exuberant ~
What are your thoughts on these wines or on Gran Selezione in general? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
Salute!
Hi John, thanks for the great comparison. I am fairly new to trying the GS wines, and am curious about how the new rules that forbid international varieties will affect the category. In theory, they seem like possible contenders to Brunello, but it may also take a few out of the running, which could result in more IGTs. What are your thoughts on that?
Hey Paul, well a few things to note here. First, the new discipline for Gran Selezione raises the Sangiovese requirement to 90% not, 100%. You’re correct that international grapes are now forbidden. Will that lead to more IGT? I highly doubt it. There are lots of reasons for that. First, many wines that could have been labeled Gran Selezione have never been. For example, Tignanello or Cepparello – Flaccianello or Fontalloro. Most producers have lots of value in the branding for wines like that. I don’t see them creating another similar wine. Gran Selezione represents only 6% of Chianti Classico production, so it’s not like there’s a lot of wine to think about. I suspect what this new 90% rule will do, is make it easier for wineries to go to 100% and for those that think the tradition of Chianti Classico *is* a blended wine; then they can added indigenous red varietals to respect that heritage. My guess is, eventually the majority of GS wines will be 100% Sangiovese with only a few blended. I could be wrong, but I wrote about this very thing in 2016. Search here: “Call for Consistency” and the article will come up. At the time I called for 100% Sangiovese Gran Selezione and made the case as to why. It looks like the Consorzio has heard me (and other writers) and made what I think is a good decision. Another item to consider is that the more the wines are from the same grape, the easier it will be to differentiate among the various Commune. That will be interesting. There’s a huge difference between Panzano and Castelnuovo Berardenga or Gaiole or Radda. Those differences will shine through more now. We’ll see how it goes. Salute!
Great! Thanks again for your highly detailed overview. Yes, keeping the big names alive is fantastic, still have not had Flaccianello. I for one would like to be able to compare the same varietal from different communes. If GS is barely 6% then it is a highly select release in good years. I recall now the 90% threshold for Sangiovese- the balance will be interesting in coming years to see what the producers utilize.
The IGT wines from Chianti Classico have not done themselves any favors. Compare the prices of wines like Percarlo, Tignanello, Cepparello, Flaccianello, Le Pergole Torte, Sammarco, etc…. wines that are substantially more expensive than the average Brunello. Fontalloro is still reasonably priced and I hope Felsina keeps it that way. We’ll see. I don’t expect much to change surrounding Gran Selezione. 6% doesn’t sound like much, but that’s because there is a TON of wine made in Chianti Classico. There are LOTS of producers that make Gran Selezione. Several make more than one. You can find very good GS wine in the $40-$50 range yes, but many are way more dear than that. I think the Consorzio and the producers need to be mindful about how they allow this to progress. J
You are right about IGTs rising in cost, especially the 2017 Cepparello compared with 2016. I like Fontalloro as well and it is still in the average Brunello price range as it is. I am still in a searching phase although I have settled on a few favorites thus far (Castello Volpaia, Badia a Coltobueno et al.). Nevertheless, how producers continue ways to mitigate the affects of extreme weather will certainly come more into play, especially after the wrong kind of records this year. I can’t wait for your 2016 Brunello report, been collecting as many as I can but some really rose in price with high reviews by some guy whose initials are JS.
Paul, I think Part 1 will publish this week. Don’t get me started on JS. It’s a double edged sword. ?
Nice post and pics, John! I have yet to taste any vintage of Fèlsina’s Colonia but it definitely sounds like a wine worth seeking out. I have tasted Fontodi’s Vigna del Sorbo a few times and I love it. Based on my limited experience with the Sorbo, 10 years of aging isn’t enough, on average, for this beast. 15 years of aging might be the beginning point of drinkability, at least for my palate. Cheers!
Peter, I think you’re probably right. That wine is tight as nails.