2019 Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo BIO
| Type of Wine | Red |
|---|---|
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Tuscany |
| Appellation | Chianti (Classico) |
| Winery | |
| Vintage | 2019 |
| Grape | |
| Content (Alc) | 0.75 ltr (15%) |
| Drink window | 2023 - 2050 |
In stock
29 items available
Description
Everyone has probably heard of Chianti, the most photographed landscape in the world in the heart of Tuscany, in the triangle of Florence, Siena and Arezzo. A region full of art, culture, delicious food and especially wine. There is one grape that reigns supreme in Chianti, and that is the Sangiovese, Italy's red superstar. The best wine is made from this in the Chianti Classico region. And within this region you still have the superlative quality around the village of Panzano. Comparable to a Grand Cru area in Burgundy. Giovanni Manetti of Fontodi winery owns the very best vineyards in the Conca d'Oro valley. In a kind of natural amphitheater at an altitude of 450 meters, the grapes ripen optimally here thanks to the excellent microclimate, which ensures a lot of heat and sufficient difference in day and night temperature. The grazing Chianina cows between the vineyards undoubtedly provide a tender piece of meat at the local butcher.
Manetti also grows a bit of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and even Pinot Noir, a rarity in these parts. Winemaker Franco Bernabei adds about 10% Cabernet Sauvignon to the Sangiovese grapes from the Vigna del Sorbo vineyard for this Classico Riserva. One of the first blends from the Chianti, in which the grapes from the 35-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon sticks are picked 1 to 2 weeks later than the Sangiovese grapes. With their own rules, they blend a wine that gives a softer mouthfeel, but also manages to retain its body. Fermentation in temperature controlled tanks with own yeast for at least 3 weeks. 24 months aging in oak wine barrels, 50% new, 50% old. Very elegant with a romantic nose of sweet cherries, spices, spicy, very concentrated fruit, super elegant, beautifully expressive, rich and intense, beautiful tannin structure. The term Riserva means that it rests in oak barrels for a year longer than the 'regular' Classico. The result is both strength and elegance. Juicy, fruity and spicy, in short, a wine that you won't get enough of quickly, so stock up on supplies.
Specifications
| Type of Wine | Red |
|---|---|
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Tuscany |
| Appellation | Chianti (Classico) |
| Winery | Fontodi |
| Grape | Sangiovese |
| Biological certified | Yes |
| Natural wine | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Vintage | 2019 |
| Drinking as of | 2023 |
| Drinking till | 2050 |
| Alcohol % | 15 |
| Alcohol free/low | No |
| Content | 0.75 ltr |
| Oak aging | Yes |
| Sparkling | No |
| Dessert wine | No |
| Closure | Cork |
| Parker rating | 97 |
| James Suckling rating | 95 |
| Vinous rating | 95 |
| Tasting Profiles | Aards, Complex, Droog, Houtgerijpt, Krachtig, Mineraal, Rood fruit, Tannines, Vol |
| Drink moments | Indruk maken, Lekker luxe, Romantisch |
Professional Reviews
Parker
The Wine Advocate
RP 97
Reviewed by:
Monica Larner
Release Price:
$100
Drink Date:
2024 - 2050
This iconic wine has all new energy, as it is now part of an exciting set of potential Gran Selezione wines made at Fontodi. Two new portfolio additions (Pastrolo from cool climate Lamole and Terrazze San Leonlino from Panzano) help to give greater context to the organic 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo. This wine of course benefits from many years of experience, and the Vigna del Sorbo identity is well established. But soil geeks will absolutely enjoy comparing Vigna del Sorbo from schistous galestro soils to the limestone alternative found in Terrazze San Leonlino. I tend to lean toward Vigna del Sorbo thanks to those etched mineral notes of pencil shaving and iron ore that I find so appealing. Those dusty notes are amply rounded off by sweet cherry fruit, plum and spice. Rising alcohol can be a problem in sun-drenched Panzano, and the winey team is leaving taller growth on the vines in the summer to cast shade and taking other active measures to combat this issue.
Call it a "lockdown illumination," the COVID-19 pandemic years were especially fruitful for Fontodi's Giovanni Manetti. Given time to reflect and walk through his vineyard rows in the amphitheater of postcard-perfect vines known as the Conca d'Oro in Panzano in Chianti, Manetti decided it was time to enlarge his portfolio. Specifically, he sought an opportunity to better articulate the concept of Chianti Classico Gran Selezione, which is in essence a perfect vehicle for a grand cru winemaking philosophy. His existing Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is a flagship for this highest category of the appellation, but alas, it represents just one vineyard site. Fruit is sourced from an area with a greater presence of schistous galestro for dark fruit, etched mineral notes and pencil shavings. Now, that wine can be seen in context. Two new wines, the Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Terrazze San Leonlino and the Chianti Classico Pastrolo, are now in production. They come from radically different sites and soils. "We now have three wines to match three soils," says Giovanni Manetti from his spacious tasting room while morning sun streams in from the windows. The Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Terrazze San Leonlino comes from a site in Panzano not too far from Vigna del Sorbo. However, this little parcel near the San Leonlino country chapel is characterized by limestone alberese that makes fresh wines that are not as dark in character. Equally exciting is the Chianti Classico Pastrolo from old vines in terraced vineyards in high-elevation Lamole. This areas tends to have Macigno Toscano, or sandstone. The Conca d'Oro vineyard in Panzano in Chianti has both galestro and alberese with pietraforte (the same hard stone used to build Palazzo Pitti in nearby Florence) at the higher rim of the vineyard. Flaccianello della Pieve is a selection of fruit from various sites, with much of it coming from the areas with pietraforte. Giovanni Manetti is pushing the boundaries of Chianti Classico Gran Selezione, and he is interested in capturing the freshness and transparency of wines identified by their soils. These efforts are timed to the announcement of the new Chianti Classico UGAs, or subzones. I also think this post–COVID era represents an exciting new start for Lamole, one of the most remote and untouched villages in the wider Chianti Classico appellation. Cooler growing sites are ideal for wineries looking for alternatives in a warmer climate. If a powerhouse estate such as Fontodi continues to invest in Lamole, we will certainly see more interest in the area in the years to come.
Published: Feb 09, 2023
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
James Suckling
FONTODI CHIANTI CLASSICO GRAN SELEZIONE VIGNA DEL SORBO 2019
Monday, August 8, 2022
CountryItaly
RegionTuscany
Vintage2019
CHECK PRICE
DOWNLOAD SHELFTALKER
Score
95
Complex aromas of dried flowers, orange peel and white pepper, together with lots of cherries. Full-bodied, but linear and very fine in the center-palate, with a linear flow of citrusy acidity. From organically grown grapes. This will age beautifully, but it’s already impressive to taste.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Vinous
95
Drinking Window
2025 - 2044
From: Chianti Classico & Neighbors: Looking at the 2020s and 2019s (Jul 2022)
The 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is a potent, virile wine endowed with tremendous depth and equally imposing tannins. A blast of dark fruit, herbs, chocolate, menthol and spice races out of the glass. Large-scaled tannins and hints of rusticity suggest the 2019 won’t be one of the most finessed Sorbos, but it is a fine effort for the year.
- By Antonio Galloni on June 2022
Proprietor Giovanni Manetti continues to push his estate into new directions. Readers will note the addition of a new wine, the 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Terrazze San Leolino, which emerges from vineyards in Panzano near the San Leolino church. It will be followed next year by the Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Pastrolo, Manetti’s first estate wine from terraced vineyard in Lamole at 640 meters in elevation. Naturally, those wines are works in progress, so it will be a few years before they reach the level of the other wines in the range. The dual flagships Vigna del Sorbo and Flaccianello are quite good in 2019, although they don’t reach the level of the finest years. The Chianti Classico, always a super-Chianti Classico here, is a standout. A reduction of time in small oak, along with a final phase of aging in cask and a greater emphasis in freshness overall are the key drives to the Fontodi style these days.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
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Wijnhuis
In search of the great wines of Fontodi from Tocane / Chianti. At Grandcruwijnen we have an exclusive range of Fontodi wines. If you want to buy a wine from Fontodi, the following applies: Order by the bottle, 24 hour delivery and save for a discount!
The Azienda Agricola Fontodi is located in the heart of the Chianti Classico area, south of the town of Panzano. This region has been famous for viticulture for centuries, thanks to the unique combination of elevated cultivation areas, lime and loam soil, lots of sun hours and the fantastic microclimate: warm and dry and with a big difference between day and night temperature.
Fontodi has been in the possession of the Manetti family since 1968, who is advised by the renowned oenologist Franco Bernabei. The Fontodi winery now has an organic certificate and is 130 ha. large, of which about 70 are planted with grapes. In the center of the winery grows the Sangiovese, which Giovanni and Marco Manetti have developed to breathtaking perfection. There are also French grape varieties such as Pinot Noir, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. Just like so many big names at the top of wine growing, Fontodi has applied the fruitful combination between organic cultivation and the most modern cellar technology and has therefore become one of the most sustainable wineries in Tuscany. To date, Fontodi wines have brought in 19 times the coveted three glasses of the Italian wine bible Gambero Rosso. Fontodi is undisputedly one of the 10 best wineries in Tuscany! In the last 17 editions of the Gambero Rosso it has received a score of 'Tre Bicchieri' no less than 13 times. The highest possible.
Everyone has probably heard of Chianti, the most photographed landscape in the world in the heart of Tuscany, in the triangle of Florence, Siena and Arezzo. A region full of art, culture, delicious food and especially wine. There is one grape that reigns supreme in Chianti, and that is the Sangiovese, Italy's red superstar. The best wine is made from this in the Chianti Classico region. And within this region you still have the superlative quality around the village of Panzano. Comparable to a Grand Cru area in Burgundy. Giovanni Manetti of Fontodi winery owns the very best vineyards in the Conca d'Oro valley. In a kind of natural amphitheater at an altitude of 450 meters, the grapes ripen optimally here thanks to the excellent microclimate, which ensures a lot of heat and sufficient difference in day and night temperature. The grazing Chianina cows between the vineyards undoubtedly provide a tender piece of meat at the local butcher.
Manetti also grows a bit of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and even Pinot Noir, a rarity in these parts. Winemaker Franco Bernabei adds about 10% Cabernet Sauvignon to the Sangiovese grapes from the Vigna del Sorbo vineyard for this Classico Riserva. One of the first blends from the Chianti, in which the grapes from the 35-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon sticks are picked 1 to 2 weeks later than the Sangiovese grapes. With their own rules, they blend a wine that gives a softer mouthfeel, but also manages to retain its body. Fermentation in temperature controlled tanks with own yeast for at least 3 weeks. 24 months aging in oak wine barrels, 50% new, 50% old. Very elegant with a romantic nose of sweet cherries, spices, spicy, very concentrated fruit, super elegant, beautifully expressive, rich and intense, beautiful tannin structure. The term Riserva means that it rests in oak barrels for a year longer than the 'regular' Classico. The result is both strength and elegance. Juicy, fruity and spicy, in short, a wine that you won't get enough of quickly, so stock up on supplies.
| Type of Wine | Red |
|---|---|
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Tuscany |
| Appellation | Chianti (Classico) |
| Winery | Fontodi |
| Grape | Sangiovese |
| Biological certified | Yes |
| Natural wine | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Vintage | 2019 |
| Drinking as of | 2023 |
| Drinking till | 2050 |
| Alcohol % | 15 |
| Alcohol free/low | No |
| Content | 0.75 ltr |
| Oak aging | Yes |
| Sparkling | No |
| Dessert wine | No |
| Closure | Cork |
| Parker rating | 97 |
| James Suckling rating | 95 |
| Vinous rating | 95 |
| Tasting Profiles | Aards, Complex, Droog, Houtgerijpt, Krachtig, Mineraal, Rood fruit, Tannines, Vol |
| Drink moments | Indruk maken, Lekker luxe, Romantisch |
Parker
The Wine Advocate
RP 97
Reviewed by:
Monica Larner
Release Price:
$100
Drink Date:
2024 - 2050
This iconic wine has all new energy, as it is now part of an exciting set of potential Gran Selezione wines made at Fontodi. Two new portfolio additions (Pastrolo from cool climate Lamole and Terrazze San Leonlino from Panzano) help to give greater context to the organic 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo. This wine of course benefits from many years of experience, and the Vigna del Sorbo identity is well established. But soil geeks will absolutely enjoy comparing Vigna del Sorbo from schistous galestro soils to the limestone alternative found in Terrazze San Leonlino. I tend to lean toward Vigna del Sorbo thanks to those etched mineral notes of pencil shaving and iron ore that I find so appealing. Those dusty notes are amply rounded off by sweet cherry fruit, plum and spice. Rising alcohol can be a problem in sun-drenched Panzano, and the winey team is leaving taller growth on the vines in the summer to cast shade and taking other active measures to combat this issue.
Call it a "lockdown illumination," the COVID-19 pandemic years were especially fruitful for Fontodi's Giovanni Manetti. Given time to reflect and walk through his vineyard rows in the amphitheater of postcard-perfect vines known as the Conca d'Oro in Panzano in Chianti, Manetti decided it was time to enlarge his portfolio. Specifically, he sought an opportunity to better articulate the concept of Chianti Classico Gran Selezione, which is in essence a perfect vehicle for a grand cru winemaking philosophy. His existing Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is a flagship for this highest category of the appellation, but alas, it represents just one vineyard site. Fruit is sourced from an area with a greater presence of schistous galestro for dark fruit, etched mineral notes and pencil shavings. Now, that wine can be seen in context. Two new wines, the Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Terrazze San Leonlino and the Chianti Classico Pastrolo, are now in production. They come from radically different sites and soils. "We now have three wines to match three soils," says Giovanni Manetti from his spacious tasting room while morning sun streams in from the windows. The Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Terrazze San Leonlino comes from a site in Panzano not too far from Vigna del Sorbo. However, this little parcel near the San Leonlino country chapel is characterized by limestone alberese that makes fresh wines that are not as dark in character. Equally exciting is the Chianti Classico Pastrolo from old vines in terraced vineyards in high-elevation Lamole. This areas tends to have Macigno Toscano, or sandstone. The Conca d'Oro vineyard in Panzano in Chianti has both galestro and alberese with pietraforte (the same hard stone used to build Palazzo Pitti in nearby Florence) at the higher rim of the vineyard. Flaccianello della Pieve is a selection of fruit from various sites, with much of it coming from the areas with pietraforte. Giovanni Manetti is pushing the boundaries of Chianti Classico Gran Selezione, and he is interested in capturing the freshness and transparency of wines identified by their soils. These efforts are timed to the announcement of the new Chianti Classico UGAs, or subzones. I also think this post–COVID era represents an exciting new start for Lamole, one of the most remote and untouched villages in the wider Chianti Classico appellation. Cooler growing sites are ideal for wineries looking for alternatives in a warmer climate. If a powerhouse estate such as Fontodi continues to invest in Lamole, we will certainly see more interest in the area in the years to come.
Published: Feb 09, 2023
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
James Suckling
FONTODI CHIANTI CLASSICO GRAN SELEZIONE VIGNA DEL SORBO 2019
Monday, August 8, 2022
CountryItaly
RegionTuscany
Vintage2019
CHECK PRICE
DOWNLOAD SHELFTALKER
Score
95
Complex aromas of dried flowers, orange peel and white pepper, together with lots of cherries. Full-bodied, but linear and very fine in the center-palate, with a linear flow of citrusy acidity. From organically grown grapes. This will age beautifully, but it’s already impressive to taste.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Vinous
95
Drinking Window
2025 - 2044
From: Chianti Classico & Neighbors: Looking at the 2020s and 2019s (Jul 2022)
The 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is a potent, virile wine endowed with tremendous depth and equally imposing tannins. A blast of dark fruit, herbs, chocolate, menthol and spice races out of the glass. Large-scaled tannins and hints of rusticity suggest the 2019 won’t be one of the most finessed Sorbos, but it is a fine effort for the year.
- By Antonio Galloni on June 2022
Proprietor Giovanni Manetti continues to push his estate into new directions. Readers will note the addition of a new wine, the 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Terrazze San Leolino, which emerges from vineyards in Panzano near the San Leolino church. It will be followed next year by the Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Pastrolo, Manetti’s first estate wine from terraced vineyard in Lamole at 640 meters in elevation. Naturally, those wines are works in progress, so it will be a few years before they reach the level of the other wines in the range. The dual flagships Vigna del Sorbo and Flaccianello are quite good in 2019, although they don’t reach the level of the finest years. The Chianti Classico, always a super-Chianti Classico here, is a standout. A reduction of time in small oak, along with a final phase of aging in cask and a greater emphasis in freshness overall are the key drives to the Fontodi style these days.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Exclusive Content
Sign in to unlock professional wine reviews from world-renowned critics
In search of the great wines of Fontodi from Tocane / Chianti. At Grandcruwijnen we have an exclusive range of Fontodi wines. If you want to buy a wine from Fontodi, the following applies: Order by the bottle, 24 hour delivery and save for a discount!
The Azienda Agricola Fontodi is located in the heart of the Chianti Classico area, south of the town of Panzano. This region has been famous for viticulture for centuries, thanks to the unique combination of elevated cultivation areas, lime and loam soil, lots of sun hours and the fantastic microclimate: warm and dry and with a big difference between day and night temperature.
Fontodi has been in the possession of the Manetti family since 1968, who is advised by the renowned oenologist Franco Bernabei. The Fontodi winery now has an organic certificate and is 130 ha. large, of which about 70 are planted with grapes. In the center of the winery grows the Sangiovese, which Giovanni and Marco Manetti have developed to breathtaking perfection. There are also French grape varieties such as Pinot Noir, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. Just like so many big names at the top of wine growing, Fontodi has applied the fruitful combination between organic cultivation and the most modern cellar technology and has therefore become one of the most sustainable wineries in Tuscany. To date, Fontodi wines have brought in 19 times the coveted three glasses of the Italian wine bible Gambero Rosso. Fontodi is undisputedly one of the 10 best wineries in Tuscany! In the last 17 editions of the Gambero Rosso it has received a score of 'Tre Bicchieri' no less than 13 times. The highest possible.