The Sangiovese Avantgarde
Winery Castello di Fonterutoli | Winery location Chianti Classico, Toscana | Grape varieties 100% Sangiovese from 36 biotypes | Alcohol 14,50% |
Total acidity 6,20% | Vineyards location Castelnuovo Berardenga, "Vicoregio": 350 m (1,150 ft) a.s.l.; S/E, S, S/O exp. | Soil "Alberese" Limestone and clay, very rich in texture | Vineyards age 18 years |
Training system Spur-cordon training and Guyot | Nr. of vines for hectare 5,800 - 6,600 | Harvest Hand picked from October the 13th | Vinification In french oak barrels (500 lt) |
Fermentation temperature 26 - 28°C | Period of maceration 24 days | Malolactic and refining 18 months in french oak barrels (500 lt, 50% new) | Finissage 4 months in concrete tanks |
Bottling December 2023 | Available on the market July 2024 | Production 13.200 bottles | Formats 750 ml - 1,5 lt - 3 lt |
First vintage 2008 (IGT) | Ageing potential Over 20 years | Key descriptors Intensity, colour deepness, strong and bright bouquet | Food pairing Spiced roast meats, stewed game, aged cheeses, mushrooms and truffles |
James Suckling 97 Pts | Vinous 94 Pts | Wine Advocate 94 Pts | Sarah Heller MW 94 Pts |
Falstaff 95 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
Winery Castello di Fonterutoli | Winery location Chianti Classico, Toscana | Grape varieties 100% Sangiovese from 36 biotypes | Alcohol 14,50% |
Total acidity 5,70% | Vineyards location Castelnuovo Berardenga, "Vicoregio": 350 m (1,150 ft) a.s.l.; S/E, S, S/O exp. | Soil "Alberese" Limestone and clay, very rich in texture | Vineyards age 18 years |
Training system Spur-cordon training and Guyot | Nr. of vines for hectare 5,800 - 6,600 | Harvest Hand picked from October the 1st | Vinification In french oak barrels (500 lt) |
Fermentation temperature 26 - 28°C | Period of maceration 24 days | Malolactic and refining 18 months in french oak barrels (500 lt, 50% new) | Finissage 4 months in concrete tanks |
Bottling December 2022 | Available on the market July 2023 | Production 13.900 bottles | Formats 750 ml - 1,5 lt - 3 lt |
First vintage 2008 (IGT) | Ageing potential Over 20 years | Key descriptors Intensity, colour deepness, strong and bright bouquet | Food pairing Spiced roast meats, stewed game, aged cheeses, mushrooms and truffles |
Vinous 92 Pts | Wine Advocate 95 Pts | Falstaff 94 Pts | GardiniNotes 97 Pts |
Vinum 96 Pts | Wine Spectator 95 Pts |
The winter of 2020 was cold with moderate rainfall. After a cool spring with adequate, well-spaced showers, the wide diurnal temperature range over the long hot summer was sufficient to ensure a smooth and problem-free ripening of the grapes. The process was also helped by rains in June and September which reduced water stress, and by an absence of pests or disease.
A season characterised by average temperatures and well-spaced rainfall gave rise to a highly satisfying harvest of top-quality grapes. With their thick skins and well-ripened phenols, these grapes will produce wines which combine fullness and structure with balance and freshness.
The one less positive note was a lower yield due to a few cold nights in early April which affected bud burst in areas where this took place early.
Beginning of the harvest: September 7th
End of the harvest: October 7th
Rainfalls (sum of rainfall between April 1st and September 30th): 468 mm
Temperature Index (sum of average daily temperatures from April 1st to September 30th): 3608 °C
Evaluation: Very good
Winery Castello di Fonterutoli |
Winery location Chianti Classico, Toscana |
Grape varieties 100% Sangiovese from 36 biotypes |
Alcohol 13.50% |
Total acidity 6.00% |
Vineyards location Castelnuovo Berardenga, "Vicoregio": 350 m (1,150 ft) a.s.l.; S/E, S, S/W exp. |
Soil "Alberese" Limestone and clay, very rich in texture |
Vineyards age 17 years |
Training system Spur cordon-training and Guyot |
Nr. of vines per hectar 5.800 - 6.600 plants |
Harvest Hand picked October the 12th |
Vinification In french oak barrels (500 lt) |
Fermentation temperature 26 - 28°C |
Period of maceration 24 days |
Ageing 18 months in french oak barrels (500 lt, 50% new) |
Finissage 4 months in concrete tanks |
Bottling December 2021 |
Available on the market July 2022 |
Production 13.200 bottles |
Formats 750 ml - 1,5 lt - 3 lt |
First vintage 2008 |
Ageing potential Over 20 years |
Key description Intensity, colour deepness, strong and bright bouquet |
Food pairing Spiced roast meats, stewed game, aged cheeses, mushrooms and truffles |
James Suckling 96 Pts | Winescritic.com 96 Pts | Falstaff 94 Pts | Doctor Wine 94 Pts |
Decanter 92 Pts | Vinous 90 Pts | Decanter World Wine Awards 90 Pts | Vini Buoni d'Italia 4 Stelle |
Jancis Robinson 17+ Pts | Merano Wine Festival Medaglia d'oro | Decanter World Wine Awards Medaglia d'Argento | Wine Advocate 95 Pts |
Wine Spectator 95 Pts |
The 2019 harvest recalled the great vintages of the 1980s. This was a 'classic' year, with nature and nurture coming together to create something truly exceptional. Winter temperatures were below average and rainfall was low, with unusually warm weather at the end of February. However, stormy squalls through spring and late into summer replenished the water table and made up for the lack of winter rainfall. They also slowed down plant development in the early stages.
The summer was consistently hot, but without extreme temperatures or excessive rainfall. September continued fine, with a significant range in diurnal temperatures.
No pathogens compromised the excellent health of the grapes. Bud fruitfulness was within the norm and the good condition of the foliage showed just how well balanced the plants were in this extremely fine year.
By harvest time the grapes were perfect, thanks to the prevailing climatic conditions and the leaf removal which was carried out in early September. Both these factors contributed to optimal ripening of all grapes across our various production zones.
Beginning of the harvest: September 4th
End of the harvest: October 17th
Rainfalls (sum of rainfall between April 1st and September 30th): 590 mm
Temperature Index (sum of average daily temperatures from April 1st to September 30th): 3580 °C
Evaluation: Outstanding
Winery Castello di Fonterutoli |
Winery location Chianti Classico, Toscana |
Grape varieties 100% Sangiovese from 36 biotypes |
Alcohol 13.60% |
Total acidity 5.77% |
Vineyards location Castelnuovo Berardenga, "Vicoregio": 350 m (1,150 ft) a.s.l.; S/E, S, S/W exp. |
Soil "Alberese" Limestone and clay, very rich in texture |
Vineyards age 16 years |
Training system Spur cordon-training and Guyot |
Nr. of vines per hectar 5.800 - 6.600 plants |
Harvest Hand picked September the 29th |
Vinification In french oak barrels (500 lt) |
Fermentation temperature 26 - 28°C |
Period of maceration 24 days |
Ageing 18 months in french oak barrels (500 lt, 50% new) |
Finissage 4 months in concrete tanks |
Bottling January 2021 |
Available on the market July 2021 |
Production 13.000 bottles |
Formats 750 ml - 1,5 lt - 3 lt |
First vintage 2008 |
Ageing potential Over 20 years |
Key description Intensity, colour deepness, strong and bright bouquet |
Food pairing Spiced roast meats, stewed game, aged cheeses, mushrooms and truffles |