Very itnense straight away, lovely nose, leather cherries, raspberry. Mouth filling flavour and really long. Tannin has calmed down so drinking nciely now
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Needed some time in the glass to find its balance, suggesting it's still on the young side, for a Sangiovese the fruit is quite intense and dark. It gives a ripe and warm impression but the lively acidity counters this.
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Deep ruby, lustrous. Plenty of black cherry and some blackberry fruits, black plums too. Mediterranean herbs. Good acidity, plenty ripe tannins. Great concentration. Good length. Fabulous for a "basic" Classico. Excellent with a lasagna. Loads of life to come too.
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Still feels very young. Dark, brooding, almost unrelenting. Enormous potential but patience is needed. Evolves more like a Brunello than your typical Chianti Classico. Which is not a surprise for Fontodi and this wine in particular. At this point in time: More potential than delight.
Last of 3 bottles - not as good as prior tastings - as prior taster noted, could be in a "mute" phase more typical for Bordeaux. Didn't take notes again but wrote down 90+/-
A good bottle of wine but not a re-buy at this price.
If this bottle is representative, the wine is in an adolescent phase. I have drunk it many times in its youth, when it was full of vibrant fruit showing great promise. This bottle lacked balance, with muted fruit and prominent acidity. Will wait a year or two before revisiting. Drunk over two nights.
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Commence a bien se boire avec de la nourrite. Fruite genereux, tannins encore present, meilleur le deuxieme soir, clairement sangiovese. La prochaine dans 3 ans
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As others have noted, this is an adolescent wine,which needs a 2 hour decant to allow it to open out . Even then, it still comes across with medium aromas, and seems a little heavy and closed. There are fruity aromas of sweet vanilla cherries and raspberries, faint hints of incense and woodiness ( redolent of an empty church), sage and menthol, and above all hints of airy flowers. On the palate, acidity and tannins are high, with flavours of tobacco, sour cherries and cocoa. Accompanied saltimbocca alla romana adequately, but this wine needs 5 years more in the bottle to develop fully. I'm not convinced it will be worth the wait!
Dark ruby with a slight brownish hue. Raspberry and spice on the nose . Light on the palate. Raspberry, cherry and mineral on the palate. Dry, slightly tart and spicy, medium finish.
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Super structured, tannins quite prominent but fairly balanced. Still a baby. Delicious with homemade lasagna. Give it a few years. Always a solid choice.
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I expected a bit more from this bottle, especially the style came as a surprise. Fontodi CC used to be more elegant. This is a bold style with heavy earthy elements. I hope some extra time in the cellar will help.
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Perplexing wine. It’s on the modern, masculine end of the Chianti spectrum and as a result I think loses some elegance. There is no doubt that it’s got bags of fruit and a lovely rich, lush mouthfeel but lacks a bit of freshness as a result. It’s a long haul wine so I expect I will enjoy this more in 5-10 years.
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Deep ruby, lustrous. Plenty of black cherry and some blackberry fruits, black plums too. Mediterranean herbs. Good acidity, plenty ripe tannins. Great concentration. Good length. Fabulous for a "basic" Classico. Excellent with a lasagna. Loads of life to come too.
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Drinking good, all around decent bottle. A lot better than most others. I’ve tried many Italian makers and Fontodi is always a go to. Seldom disappointed.
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Very enjoyable and decently priced Chianti Classico – indeed one of my favourites. Drinking perfectly well now, but should keep for 5–10 years. From a Magnum bottle.
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Didn't take notes, but has improved from my last tasting ~ 1 year ago. Good palate density and nice complexity here. 91+ but didn't taste formerly so NR. Most importantly, would buy again.
" Needed air. Dark black/red color. Dark cherry, strawberry, Mediterranean herbs and touch of earthy undertones on nose. Palate had a similar flavor profile. Medium+ body, medium acidity/tannins and long finish."
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A decent bottle tonight, but not overwhelmingly so. Opened the previous day as the cooking required some red, and then decanted the following afternoon for the resulting evening meal. Once again very cherry, but also lots of spice and punchy tannins - for my palate too strong and drying really - more I think than the previous bottle despite the extended aeration period. Despite a lot of reviews saying this is good to go I can't get away from the fact I am drinking these too early (this was #3 of 6) and that I should instead get the case of 2017 delivered. I am no Chianti expert but hold would be my advice. Which I should follow.
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Brunello and Ragu (Home): Bottle 1/6. Popped and poured and consumed over c. three hours. The tannin never really went away, but the wine was ready to enjoy from the off. Deep glistening maroon, a touch of menthol and a little cocoa powder, a sense of minerality, lots of dark fruit (damson?), and finally a long brambly finish. A shame there's a trace of heat from the 14.5% abv on the finish too. Next bottle in 2-3 years?
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Clear deep ruby; clean medium plus nose of blackberry, raspberry, barnyard and soil; dry; high acidity; high tannins; high alcohol; medium plus body; pronounced flavour intensity; palate is tarter with addition of cocoa; medium plus finish; drink now or in 5 years; one of the best Chianti’s that we’ve had; tasted blind against Flaccianello and came across as big brother and little brother; mistaken for a Bordeaux blend or a Shiraz given the colour and intensity
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Excited to try this vintage of Fontodi CC. Drank over two days. On day 1: Youthful, fruit-powered bravado right out of the gate. All the classic Sangiovese hallmarks; red berries and cherry, a bit of tar. Gripping tannins and a tingling acidity, very much to my liking. On day 2, the tannins had mellowed out a bit and the fruit was complemented by spices and herbs. In my opinion, this is a big wine both by Fontodi and regular Chianti Classico standards and would probably rate highly even amongst top end Gran Seleziones. Very excited to see what the next 5-10 years will bring.
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This feels a bit too sexy; some dusty chocolate truffle powder, black cherry pie, and smoke on the nose. You can sense the quality of the fruit and even perceive the dusty, earthy quality of the Sangiovese character underneath, but it comes across as veiled in too much ripeness and oak.
The structure is actually quite good. There's a lot of chalky mouthcoating tannin and fresh acidity that demonstrates pedigree and aging potential, yet it just has the sensation of a beautiful wine wearing too much makeup. Certainly appeals to someone seeking a certain experience - especially for the price - but I prefer my Chianti purer and more transparent.
Elegant, refined, powerful wine from a terrific vintage. Cherries, earth, anise on the nose. Palate shows high acidity and a nice layer of tannins. Right now, you need a good 2 hour decant and some food, but this is very age-worthy and should soften and develop complexity with some more time in bottle.
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Vraiment pas mal tout est beau sur 2016 dans cette région, plusieurs avancent que c'est un des plus grand de tous les temps! L'effet millésime fait son oeuvre ici pour élevé ce petit Chianti en un fichtrement de beau vien. Frais et complexe, belle acidité, tannins fins, fruits noirs et épices sur une finale bien longue sans accroc. Impeccable!
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Lovely wine and great QPR. A great chianti, fruit, oak, medium finish. Easy to pair with many foods and this went great with a Sunday night Bolognese. Think this has lots of time as well.
90
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Left to decant for 6 hours and a resultant extremely smooth, fruity and tasty bottle of wine. A small amount of sediment. Really good, a fruity nose, some flowers. Notes of cherry in particular, some sour notes to accompany the sweet. Extremely easy to pair with food, in this case a classic ragu. My view is that this wine will last for ages yet, there is no hurry.
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Great chianti at this price point. Love the sweet, but also sour fruit. Cherries, tobacco, and licorice. Drank another bottle a year ago, think the tannins have settled a bit already.
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Decanted briefly, quite a lot of sediment. Lovely deep red colour, long legs and beautiful nose. A lovely Classico that is drinking well but will develop further
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This is a big burly wine. Has aromas of raspberries, herbs, mint, cherries, minerals. Its medium to full bodied freshly fruited solid red and blue fruits palate has impressive density and good length ending with good tannins. 14.5%. Lay down 5-10 years+.
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PnP i Zalto Bx og universal. Lite lukt først. Fersk fast frukt med kartene blåbær. Fyldigere frukt i Bx. Kirsebær og kirsebærkjerner. Til pizza:Klar kirsebær frukt, tydelig eik. Best i universal som ikke fremhever eiken. Fruktsødmen matchet ikke så godt med frisk pizza. 1 dag i flaske:
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Very tannic and dry as expected as it’s quite young , pretty tough going on day one despite a two hour decant. Much improved on day two when it was fine. I would leave another couple of years.
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Took a little time to come together but it was what I expected from a Fontodi CC. Classic Chianti, wonderful with food. Strangely, it seemed to lose it after a few hours but 45 mins later it was better than ever. Strange. Next day it was back in a great place. Wonderful wine, wish I could get more.
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Tasted upon opening at 3.30 pm and then left it in the open bottle until dinner.
First taste: rich aroma of cherries supported by a little plums and some dried herbs. Maybe oregano? The palate has dense tannins and high acidity, leaving a savoury sensation not unlike sundried tomatoes. Not very enjoyable to drink, but with nice aromas.
3 hours later: the nose has turned down the fruit a little and turned up the notes of dried herbs, sundried soil, leather. The palate has softened considerably and now seems less dense and more in balance. The sundried tomatoes are now fresher and supported by more fruit, less tannins and some nice mushrooms. Great development.
With a couple of hours of air, this was very enjoyable. A good classic chianti. Will probably be even better in time, but I plan to start opening these bottles when we can all meet again and I can invite friends over for a nice porchetta.
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Encore un classique, bien fait et super gouleyant. C`est fruité et bien épicé. Un belle structure avec de beaux tannins bien enrobés et une belle acidité. Super long en finale et franc de gout. Vraiment Extra! On va stocker le 2017 qui arrivera dans les semaines à venir!
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Needed air. Dark black/red color. Dark cherry, strawberry, Mediterranean herbs and touch of earthy undertones on nose. Palate had a similar flavor profile. Medium+ body, medium acidity/tannins and long finish. 91-92+ Decant for a few hours if drinking now (for aeration, not sediment) as this was very tight on opening.
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Best iteration of this wine I’ve encountered. Has the bright red fruit of the 15 but with a deeper structure and intensity that comes together nicely. Sometimes Fontodis can give the impression of having too much modern gloss but I think the polished style works well in more powerful vintages like 16. Great now but can definitely go on for a long time.
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Two-hour decant. Full garnet color with deep clarity. Dark aromatics of concentrated blackberry, pressed violet, smoked paprika, cracked peppercorn, nutmeg and sun-baked earth. Vivid black fruit palate, generous and expressive, with densely layered secondary floral and spices consistent from the nose, adding hints of high-toned minerality. Succulent and juicy, deceptively broad through the middle, with amply accented acidity and round tannins that both grip and give. Finishes with nice purity and length. This will age well, but sure is good to go right now. Excellent.
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Really enjoyed this wine. Think it offers great QPR as well. Opened and let breathe for 2 hours before drinking. Great nose, well integrated tannins, red fruits, a little bit of spice. Drinking great now, but curious to know what this would be like after a few more years of age. Medium finish.
90
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Medium light red. Intense cherry, spice and forest floor nose. Dry delicious earthy cherry flavours and a very textured dry finish.
A delicious young Chianti Classico that is very approachable in it’s youth. The weight is heavier then Isole e Olena or Arceno’s versions which I like as much.
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This vintage of the Fontodi standard CC just blows me away every time I taste it – a stunning effort for sure. Layers of cherrie fruit, mocha, and nicely integrated oak. And there is a nerve and depth that you usually find only in the more prestigious Vigna del Sorbo and Flaccianello della Pieve cuvées. The elegant and fine-grained tannins contributes to the majestic finish. Will last and develop for several years to come, but is soo delicious to drink at this early stage. 94+
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Excellent with deliciously open and deep nose of sour cherries, aged wood and a touch of leather and spices. Quite rich for a Chianti with excellent acidity and some structure. To drink or keep.
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Best plain CC I have ever drunk. And I have drunk many. Giovanni Manetti has really stepped up with this one. If CC has to cost over €20, you better buy this one.
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Bought at Costco and PnP'd for a pizza dinner that night. Unless it was a bad bottle, it seemed very sour. Did not really have a chance for decant or air as it was split between 5 people, but sour was everyone's opinion. Maybe with some time in the cellar it would improve.
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Nice Chianti, deep rich red notes, no brick, not age marks. Delicious herbal notes on the nose and palate. Slight refreshing fruit, not a fruit bomb not dominated by fruit. Delicious minerality and slight soil notes, well rounded and balanced wine.
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Deep dark reddish-purple in color. Full, forward & fragrant nose of ripe fruit aromas of cherries, blackberries & plums with overtones of earthy/dusty & floral notes, dried herbs, minerals, some spice, anise notes & a hint of cedar in the background. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, dense, ripe fruit flavors of cherries, blackberries & plums with spices, minerals, earthy, cocoa & a hint of oak/vanilla. Lingering finish. Drinks quite well with decanting & extended airing but has the potential (& need) for additional aging to develop further. Should rate even higher with time (92+).
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Full bodied, plenty of fruit, cherry. Got a case and thrilled with it. Look forward to lots of pleasure and consider this a steal, or almost! 3-4 years should be spectacular.
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Clear medium red. Medium intense nose, spicy cherry, potting soil, dried mushrooms and a bit of berry. Dry spicy red cherry flavours and a dry but textured finish.
A bit of a bruiser compared to the Arceno and Isole e Olena CCs.
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Dégustation Chianti 2016 et quelques extras; 7/14/2020-7/15/2020: Robe encore plus sombre, belle vinosité engageante au nez, la bouche présente une matière pleine, assez dense, c'est ambitieux, tanins encore présents, le vin est fait pour la garde. Très bon vin, bu trop jeune ce soit mais tous les éléments sont en place pour un avenir radieux.
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Nice bouquet with an interesting mix of typical aromas. Palate quite young, chewy, a bit hot / slightly alcoholic but also very fresh with a tannic bite. Quite strong for the level and has clear potential. Still a joy to drink now but should be much better in 2-3 years and even more so around its tenth anniversary. Very strong! 2016 - what a vintage - looking forward to 2026 and beyond!
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Un des meilleurs Fontodi bu, allie modernité et classicisme de manière très intéressante. Épices, cigares, bouche ample et structurée par cette acidité du Sangiovese qu’on retrouve en finale sur une trame de fruits noirs.
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This wine is too young. However, the structure leaves nothing but potential. Once it did open up this wine was spectacular. Buy a few and don't touch them for a few years. The wine and vintage are spectacular.
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Pinjekjerner, krydder og moreller på nesen . Flott frukt, fin balanse. Prøv til blank pizza med pinjekjerner, bacon og Chevre. Tydelig - men godt balansert- eik sammenlignet med tvillingen . Veldig flott vin med tanke på pris. Jordbær. 1 dag i åpen flaske: Fast mørk frukt med litt tacokrydder, mista litt av finessen fra i går.
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Medium dark red. Intense nose for a Chianti, but in a quite traditional way, earthy black cherry, berry , and dried mushroom. Dry rich cherry and thyme flavours and a dry textured long finish.
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Out of 375mL. Solid chianti, red fruit, rosemary, good depth, plenty of grippy structure. But not really better than "solid chianti" at this point, so it's poor QPR, there's a lot of decent chianti for 50-60% of the price.
Gave it an hour and a half in a decanter before tasting and it was still rather restrained. It opened up with food (pasta with marinara). Dust, dark cherry, spice and tart acidity. Too early but still very tasty. It needed the food.
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Dark cherries and plums with a higher toned perfume and some wood. Deep dark fruited with a nice bitter edge and pretty drying tannins at this stage. Satisfyingly complete even if very young at this point.
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Fresh moderately expressive aromatics of sour cherries and wood (in a positive way), followed by fresh, moderately long taste with excellent acidity and noticeable tannins. You may absolutely drink this now, but I believe it will reward a few years keep.
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Fantastic effort from Fontodi, and the best vintage of their basic Chianti Classico I have tasted so far. Packed with dense cherrie fruit layers, perfectly balanced, nice depth, integrated oak and a fine tannic structure. Will evolve nicely over the next 15 years. Bravo! 93+
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I’ve read raves about this vintage, and I’m here to say they’re accurate. This wine is stunningly aromatic and savory, with a finish that goes for at least three minutes. Do not want it to end.
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Dekantert og luftet i 2 timer. Veldig mørk rødfarge og overraskende tett. Masse deilige kirsebær med det jordlige Sangiovese-aktige preget. Kalde mineraler og et fint rustikk fatpreg med litt vanilje og krydder i avslutningen som står veldig bra til all kirsebærfrukten. Skikkelig bra balansert med tydelige, men behagelige tørre tanniner, og veldig god leskende friskhet. Virker forsatt noe ung, men topp match til pizza capricciosa!
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Wow - sensational nose for the price. Chocolate, red and black cherries, a little pepper, kirsch, balsamic. Very impressive structure but completely balanced by the vibrant acidity. Rustic, leathery finish. If there is a criticism, it is the somewhat aggressive alcohol on the finish but great with food. Bought this as a weeknight pizza wine but much better than that.
Subsequent bottles make me more confident of this judgement. When left for a 2nd day, it gets even better and had the structure to last A considerable time. Unfortunately, I only have 1 left but will try to hold onto it!
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Brought to restaurant, 30 mins decant, consumed over 2 hours. Good wine from excellent vintage - wine has its rough edges but shows very well at this young age. The last sip at hour 2 drank best, so this will age very well while has the ability to be drank young. Lots of great complexity from fruit to leather to herbs and a touch of minerality. IMHO there's both new & old world elements
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Leur petit Chianti, une valeur sure. Pas le plus complexe mais c'est simple et bien fait. Nez sur les fruits et les épices. En bouche, belle acidité et cerises surettes. Pas long en finale et un brin dilué. Parfait pour la pizza et le petit plat de pâtes.
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Very pure Chianti with sour cherries and amazing structure. Give this beauty at least 3-5 more years to blossom and then enjoy it over the next 1-2 decades. Right now 92+ with a lot of upside potential. Another hit for Fontodi and a really good PQR.
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Very much in its infant stage right now. I can go no higher than 91 and that more for the good dark Fruits than anything else. Funny that the last time I tasted this wine a week back it was much more charming - probably had a good decant
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So last time at the winery 92, now 93, 6 months later. This is a very solid wine with so much structure and elegance. The tannins are quite lively for now, however, the quality of the tannins are pretty impressive for a wine of this price. I believe it will hit a sweet spot in around 5-7 years time. Very impressive wine for the price. 92-93
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Medium-bodied red color. Cherry nose with dust/tobacco notes. Medium body, high acidity with lingering raspberry/cherry flavors. Good but I had this previously and enjoyed it more then. Will try again.
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A full-bred Sangiovese with cherry, chocolate, oak, spice and brutally pleasant chalky finish. Medium ruby, slightly viscous @14.5% abv. Aromas of cherry, lovely barnyard and prosciutto. Dry-ish, medium(+) acidity, medium-medium(+) tannin, medium(+) alcohol and ditto body. Palate of black cherry, Luxardo/maraschino, mocha, oak notes. Superbalance, silky mouthfeel. Good length with delicious gripping finish. A delight that makes me realize the potential of CC after having tried out too many of the mediocre ones over the last years. Well done! Cellaring potential 5-10 year, and if you pop it sooner do decant for 30-60 minutes. I didn't and regret it.
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Deeply colored, smoke, cherries, toasty new oak, vanilla, crushed stones, immense, dense, powerful, very long, I can’t believe this is an entry level Chianti! A wine to purchase by the case. Enjoyable now and possibly over the coming decade. For $34.25 CAD, a tremendous achievement from Fontodi, their best entry level Chianti to date, bravo!
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In the darker red-fruit profile, with notes of resin/balsamic, dried herbs, and deep soil tones. The palate is significant, brooding, even, at this tender age. This has passed out of my preferred scope of general enjoyment, but it's also something I could enjoy a few times per year. That said, those of you that know and love the wine will need to be patient - there's a lot of raw material here, and time will be the only thing to resolve it. 160k bottles, BIO-grown; a great value best enjoyed 2025-2039. Over the past two decades, I've been as guilty as anyone when it comes to drinking their Classico too soon. recommended, and that score will improve in time.
Very fine, quite expressive nose of sour cherries, earth and wood, followed by quite rich and long taste with good acidity. Tastes like a well made riserva, probably better in 2-3 years, and will keep well for more than a decade.
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A very muscular, rustic and powerful Chianti Classico, significantly more than the 2015. This will need around 7 years to really show its full potential. 100% Sangiovese sourced from the Fontodi vineyards around Panzano. This Chianti Classico has aromas of dark cherries and blackberries along with lavender, floral, a touch of chocolate and black pepper notes, the palate was firing on all cylinders with strong dark fruits, dried florals, liquorice and spice, yet the palate was dominated by strong muscular tannins, lively acidity and a long yet not fully settled down finish. Do not pop the cork on this for 8 years. 92+
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From half bottle. Opened up nicely after 30 minute decant. Nose is high-toned, but not overly so, quite vinous, with a hint of mint. Deep black cherry dominates on the palate. It is juicy and balanced, long and savoury, with very fine tannins. Looking forward to trying more of these!
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Very impressive CC, with a rich deep nose of cherry, earth, and a rich med+ palate with more red fruit and impressively long crunchy finish. Good balance of acid and hint of tannin emerging.
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The nose was dark and inward at first, as notes of mint, cedar, and animal musk evolved into herbal-infused black cherries, with crushed stone and alpine florals. On the palate, I found soft textures, firmed up by zesty acids that pinched at the cheek, as dark fruits emerged, along with saline-minerality, spice and saturating tannin. The finish was long, structured and earthy, resonating on sous bois, crushed black berry, and savory herbs, while presenting a sensation of umami, which I seldom find in a wine.
The '16 Fontodi CC reminds me more of the Vigna del Sorbo than it ever has in any other vintage. I'm impressed.
4/10/2024 - dampots Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very itnense straight away, lovely nose, leather cherries, raspberry. Mouth filling flavour and really long. Tannin has calmed down so drinking nciely now
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4/4/2024 - Steve Simmons Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still liking this CC.
Had with cheese plate tonight after 2 hour decant. Would buy more if found on sale.
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3/24/2024 - carlsport Likes this wine: 90 Points
A good pairing wine (went really well with 72% Dark Chocolate) that Torie actually liked quite a bit.
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3/16/2024 - Kris G wrote: 90 Points
Needed some time in the glass to find its balance, suggesting it's still on the young side, for a Sangiovese the fruit is quite intense and dark. It gives a ripe and warm impression but the lively acidity counters this.
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3/15/2024 - Blauweiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lovely CC, plenty of fruit beside a fine earthy note alongside sweet leather and fresh herbs, Love this one.
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1/6/2024 - salarvcj Likes this wine: 90 Points
Fifth bottle of this wine and the first that really opened up and lived up to expectations. A textbook chianti
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1/3/2024 - tantotinto wrote: 92 Points
This bottle is noticeably better than our last two years go. Dark cherry and spice. Quiet tannins and a smooth finish.
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12/7/2023 - ahagen wrote: 91 Points
På topp, drikk nå pga frukten.
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11/25/2023 - cannym Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep ruby, lustrous. Plenty of black cherry and some blackberry fruits, black plums too. Mediterranean herbs. Good acidity, plenty ripe tannins. Great concentration. Good length. Fabulous for a "basic" Classico. Excellent with a lasagna. Loads of life to come too.
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11/16/2023 - ChâteauneufDuPfaff Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still feels very young. Dark, brooding, almost unrelenting. Enormous potential but patience is needed. Evolves more like a Brunello than your typical Chianti Classico. Which is not a surprise for Fontodi and this wine in particular. At this point in time: More potential than delight.
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11/13/2023 - thomasqi Likes this wine: 90 Points
比上次好多了
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10/12/2023 - redders Likes this wine: 88 Points
First of six. Plenty of very good material but not strutting it’s stuff. Needs time.
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9/21/2023 - CWilliam wrote:
Last of 3 bottles - not as good as prior tastings - as prior taster noted, could be in a "mute" phase more typical for Bordeaux. Didn't take notes again but wrote down 90+/-
A good bottle of wine but not a re-buy at this price.
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9/12/2023 - TheGreenFrog wrote:
If this bottle is representative, the wine is in an adolescent phase. I have drunk it many times in its youth, when it was full of vibrant fruit showing great promise. This bottle lacked balance, with muted fruit and prominent acidity. Will wait a year or two before revisiting. Drunk over two nights.
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8/28/2023 - benjamin96 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Commence a bien se boire avec de la nourrite. Fruite genereux, tannins encore present, meilleur le deuxieme soir, clairement sangiovese. La prochaine dans 3 ans
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8/20/2023 - drwinston Likes this wine: 92 Points
rubin red color with lighter reflexes
nose of dark red berries with notes of herbs
on palate quite long lasting with intense nice aromas
now very nice to drink but will stay for a couple of years
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6/11/2023 - exonian wrote: 90 Points
As others have noted, this is an adolescent wine,which needs a 2 hour decant to allow it to open out . Even then, it still comes across with medium aromas, and seems a little heavy and closed. There are fruity aromas of sweet vanilla cherries and raspberries, faint hints of incense and woodiness ( redolent of an empty church), sage and menthol, and above all hints of airy flowers. On the palate, acidity and tannins are high, with flavours of tobacco, sour cherries and cocoa. Accompanied saltimbocca alla romana adequately, but this wine needs 5 years more in the bottle to develop fully. I'm not convinced it will be worth the wait!
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4/2/2023 - Coswinetaster Likes this wine: 89 Points
Dark ruby with a slight brownish hue. Raspberry and spice on the nose . Light on the palate. Raspberry, cherry and mineral on the palate. Dry, slightly tart and spicy, medium finish.
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1/20/2023 - Theodore S Butts Likes this wine:
Super structured, tannins quite prominent but fairly balanced. Still a baby. Delicious with homemade lasagna. Give it a few years.
Always a solid choice.
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1/17/2023 - Lemmy-W wrote: 92 Points
PNP and good upon opening already though improves with air. Surprisingly good this young.
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11/26/2022 - RD59 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Once again wow for this CC. Glad I have 16 to go, my guess 3-5 to go
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10/20/2022 - Kris G wrote:
I expected a bit more from this bottle, especially the style came as a surprise. Fontodi CC used to be more elegant. This is a bold style with heavy earthy elements. I hope some extra time in the cellar will help.
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10/9/2022 - darrenhe wrote: 89 Points
Perplexing wine. It’s on the modern, masculine end of the Chianti spectrum and as a result I think loses some elegance. There is no doubt that it’s got bags of fruit and a lovely rich, lush mouthfeel but lacks a bit of freshness as a result. It’s a long haul wine so I expect I will enjoy this more in 5-10 years.
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9/21/2022 - brasstab Likes this wine: 94 Points
I stand by my pandemic-era review.
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8/12/2022 - cannym Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep ruby, lustrous. Plenty of black cherry and some blackberry fruits, black plums too. Mediterranean herbs. Good acidity, plenty ripe tannins. Great concentration. Good length. Fabulous for a "basic" Classico. Excellent with a lasagna. Loads of life to come too.
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7/27/2022 - Ridavids Likes this wine:
Maturing Wine, trying to come along, strong Chianti with solid backbone.
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7/23/2022 - 559Cheers wrote: 92 Points
Drinking good, all around decent bottle. A lot better than most others. I’ve tried many Italian makers and Fontodi is always a go to. Seldom disappointed.
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6/8/2022 - Larre Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very enjoyable and decently priced Chianti Classico – indeed one of my favourites. Drinking perfectly well now, but should keep for 5–10 years. From a Magnum bottle.
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5/28/2022 - stinkycook Likes this wine:
Like other notes, has improved since last bottle. Quite enjoyable now.
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5/9/2022 - CWilliam wrote:
Didn't take notes, but has improved from my last tasting ~ 1 year ago. Good palate density and nice complexity here. 91+ but didn't taste formerly so NR. Most importantly, would buy again.
" Needed air. Dark black/red color. Dark cherry, strawberry, Mediterranean herbs and touch of earthy undertones on nose. Palate had a similar flavor profile. Medium+ body, medium acidity/tannins and long finish."
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5/7/2022 - DaddyNeedsPow wrote: 92 Points
Lots of potential here. Hold to 2025 or 26.
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1/22/2022 - KimHartman wrote: flawed
Corked
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1/17/2022 - tantotinto wrote: 91 Points
Better than our last bottle 18 months ago. Still dark cherry, dust and spice but softer and more open. Tooth coating tannins still.
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1/16/2022 - gordy240 wrote: 92 Points
Slight improvement from last bottle about a year ago. Barely entering drinking window.
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12/28/2021 - oenanthe Likes this wine: 87 Points
A decent bottle tonight, but not overwhelmingly so. Opened the previous day as the cooking required some red, and then decanted the following afternoon for the resulting evening meal. Once again very cherry, but also lots of spice and punchy tannins - for my palate too strong and drying really - more I think than the previous bottle despite the extended aeration period. Despite a lot of reviews saying this is good to go I can't get away from the fact I am drinking these too early (this was #3 of 6) and that I should instead get the case of 2017 delivered. I am no Chianti expert but hold would be my advice. Which I should follow.
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12/25/2021 - vanderpee Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for 4 hours. Nice red fruit and spices. Very good Chianti. Nice tannins but had this during dinner which was a perfect match.
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11/26/2021 - RD59 Likes this wine: 92 Points
No change, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!
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11/17/2021 - David J Cooper wrote: 90 Points
Clear medium red. Lots of red cherry, earth, beef broth and Tuscan spice. Dry red cherry and broth flavours. Nice dry tannic finish.
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11/16/2021 - Danneskjöld wrote: 90 Points
God konsentrasjon med mørk syrlig frukt. Burde fremdeles ligge lenger, også på halvflaske.
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10/28/2021 - Tranquility Base Likes this wine: 90 Points
Always a favorite. Fontodi is good stuff and this is a great vintage. No hurry...it could have aged a few more years. Needs to open up.
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10/2/2021 - NickA Likes this wine: 91 Points
Brunello and Ragu (Home): Bottle 1/6. Popped and poured and consumed over c. three hours. The tannin never really went away, but the wine was ready to enjoy from the off. Deep glistening maroon, a touch of menthol and a little cocoa powder, a sense of minerality, lots of dark fruit (damson?), and finally a long brambly finish. A shame there's a trace of heat from the 14.5% abv on the finish too. Next bottle in 2-3 years?
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9/25/2021 - David J Cooper wrote: 92 Points
Dark purple, red. Intense nose, earthy red cherry, leather, spice and forest floor. Dry cherry and leather flavours and a long textured finish.
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7/31/2021 - Brent25 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Clear deep ruby; clean medium plus nose of blackberry, raspberry, barnyard and soil; dry; high acidity; high tannins; high alcohol; medium plus body; pronounced flavour intensity; palate is tarter with addition of cocoa; medium plus finish; drink now or in 5 years; one of the best Chianti’s that we’ve had; tasted blind against Flaccianello and came across as big brother and little brother; mistaken for a Bordeaux blend or a Shiraz given the colour and intensity
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7/18/2021 - Eurojon Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excited to try this vintage of Fontodi CC. Drank over two days. On day 1: Youthful, fruit-powered bravado right out of the gate. All the classic Sangiovese hallmarks; red berries and cherry, a bit of tar. Gripping tannins and a tingling acidity, very much to my liking. On day 2, the tannins had mellowed out a bit and the fruit was complemented by spices and herbs. In my opinion, this is a big wine both by Fontodi and regular Chianti Classico standards and would probably rate highly even amongst top end Gran Seleziones. Very excited to see what the next 5-10 years will bring.
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7/2/2021 - FjordogFjell wrote: 88 Points
Pizza og Loke. Flott rustikk frukt med svak modning. Fin match til pizza med pinjekjerner. Bør drikkes Ila. 2021.
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6/26/2021 - blackbrownbeige wrote: 88 Points
This feels a bit too sexy; some dusty chocolate truffle powder, black cherry pie, and smoke on the nose. You can sense the quality of the fruit and even perceive the dusty, earthy quality of the Sangiovese character underneath, but it comes across as veiled in too much ripeness and oak.
The structure is actually quite good. There's a lot of chalky mouthcoating tannin and fresh acidity that demonstrates pedigree and aging potential, yet it just has the sensation of a beautiful wine wearing too much makeup. Certainly appeals to someone seeking a certain experience - especially for the price - but I prefer my Chianti purer and more transparent.
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6/25/2021 - streethawk Likes this wine: 93 Points
Elegant, refined, powerful wine from a terrific vintage. Cherries, earth, anise on the nose. Palate shows high acidity and a nice layer of tannins. Right now, you need a good 2 hour decant and some food, but this is very age-worthy and should soften and develop complexity with some more time in bottle.
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6/2/2021 - maxima wrote: 90 Points
Vraiment pas mal tout est beau sur 2016 dans cette
région, plusieurs avancent que c'est un des plus grand
de tous les temps! L'effet millésime fait son oeuvre ici
pour élevé ce petit Chianti en un fichtrement
de beau vien. Frais et complexe, belle acidité,
tannins fins, fruits noirs et épices sur une
finale bien longue sans accroc.
Impeccable!
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5/9/2021 - bordeaux456 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Lovely wine and great QPR. A great chianti, fruit, oak, medium finish. Easy to pair with many foods and this went great with a Sunday night Bolognese. Think this has lots of time as well.
90
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5/8/2021 - oenanthe Likes this wine: 89 Points
Left to decant for 6 hours and a resultant extremely smooth, fruity and tasty bottle of wine. A small amount of sediment. Really good, a fruity nose, some flowers. Notes of cherry in particular, some sour notes to accompany the sweet. Extremely easy to pair with food, in this case a classic ragu. My view is that this wine will last for ages yet, there is no hurry.
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5/7/2021 - jon.a.grande@gmail.com Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great chianti at this price point. Love the sweet, but also sour fruit. Cherries, tobacco, and licorice. Drank another bottle a year ago, think the tannins have settled a bit already.
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5/2/2021 - nschmidt Likes this wine: 92 Points
Served it to friends on our first indoor gathering post vaccination. Continues to be a pleasure and my favorite Chianti.
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4/24/2021 - David J Cooper wrote: 92 Points
Just a bit more developed then previous bottles, and with a nice note of menthol in the nose.
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4/16/2021 - nschmidt Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still my favorite Chianti.
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4/16/2021 - salarvcj Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted briefly, quite a lot of sediment. Lovely deep red colour, long legs and beautiful nose. A lovely Classico that is drinking well but will develop further
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4/2/2021 - macaujames Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is a big burly wine. Has aromas of raspberries, herbs, mint, cherries, minerals. Its medium to full bodied freshly fruited solid red and blue fruits palate has impressive density and good length ending with good tannins. 14.5%. Lay down 5-10 years+.
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4/2/2021 - FjordogFjell wrote: 88 Points
PnP i Zalto Bx og universal. Lite lukt først. Fersk fast frukt med kartene blåbær. Fyldigere frukt i Bx. Kirsebær og kirsebærkjerner. Til pizza:Klar kirsebær frukt, tydelig eik. Best i universal som ikke fremhever eiken. Fruktsødmen matchet ikke så godt med frisk pizza. 1 dag i flaske:
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3/18/2021 - boston617 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Floral and rustic. Woodsy notes all around.
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3/15/2021 - Doc Malvern wrote: 88 Points
Very tannic and dry as expected as it’s quite young , pretty tough going on day one despite a two hour decant. Much improved on day two when it was fine. I would leave another couple of years.
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3/13/2021 - jps3@columbia.edu Likes this wine: 91 Points
Took a little time to come together but it was what I expected from a Fontodi CC. Classic Chianti, wonderful with food. Strangely, it seemed to lose it after a few hours but 45 mins later it was better than ever. Strange. Next day it was back in a great place. Wonderful wine, wish I could get more.
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3/2/2021 - BilboBaggins wrote: 92 Points
Tasted upon opening at 3.30 pm and then left it in the open bottle until dinner.
First taste: rich aroma of cherries supported by a little plums and some dried herbs. Maybe oregano? The palate has dense tannins and high acidity, leaving a savoury sensation not unlike sundried tomatoes. Not very enjoyable to drink, but with nice aromas.
3 hours later: the nose has turned down the fruit a little and turned up the notes of dried herbs, sundried soil, leather. The palate has softened considerably and now seems less dense and more in balance. The sundried tomatoes are now fresher and supported by more fruit, less tannins and some nice mushrooms. Great development.
With a couple of hours of air, this was very enjoyable. A good classic chianti. Will probably be even better in time, but I plan to start opening these bottles when we can all meet again and I can invite friends over for a nice porchetta.
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2/26/2021 - FjordogFjell wrote:
PnP i Zalto Bx. Mørk grov lukt med tydelig eik. Fyldig og grov smak med tydelig eik. Ganske grov
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2/15/2021 - maxima wrote: 90 Points
Encore un classique, bien fait et super gouleyant.
C`est fruité et bien épicé.
Un belle structure avec de beaux tannins bien
enrobés et une belle acidité.
Super long en finale et franc de gout.
Vraiment Extra!
On va stocker le 2017 qui arrivera dans les semaines à venir!
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2/3/2021 - CWilliam wrote: 91 Points
Needed air. Dark black/red color. Dark cherry, strawberry, Mediterranean herbs and touch of earthy undertones on nose. Palate had a similar flavor profile. Medium+ body, medium acidity/tannins and long finish. 91-92+ Decant for a few hours if drinking now (for aeration, not sediment) as this was very tight on opening.
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1/17/2021 - havana4 🍾🍇 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Beautiful. Red fruits, touch of smoke, great at end of palate.
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12/31/2020 - DionysosDude Likes this wine: 91 Points
Mis en carafe environ 1 heure, ce vin est très bien balancé. Fabuleux, un des meilleurs j’ai bu dernièrement.
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12/25/2020 - melvinyeowq Likes this wine:
Best iteration of this wine I’ve encountered. Has the bright red fruit of the 15 but with a deeper structure and intensity that comes together nicely. Sometimes Fontodis can give the impression of having too much modern gloss but I think the polished style works well in more powerful vintages like 16. Great now but can definitely go on for a long time.
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12/23/2020 - MattMauldin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Two-hour decant. Full garnet color with deep clarity. Dark aromatics of concentrated blackberry, pressed violet, smoked paprika, cracked peppercorn, nutmeg and sun-baked earth. Vivid black fruit palate, generous and expressive, with densely layered secondary floral and spices consistent from the nose, adding hints of high-toned minerality. Succulent and juicy, deceptively broad through the middle, with amply accented acidity and round tannins that both grip and give. Finishes with nice purity and length. This will age well, but sure is good to go right now. Excellent.
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12/22/2020 - Wino Laurie Likes this wine: 91 Points
Fruit forward, pleasurable Chianti
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12/18/2020 - bordeaux456 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Really enjoyed this wine. Think it offers great QPR as well. Opened and let breathe for 2 hours before drinking. Great nose, well integrated tannins, red fruits, a little bit of spice. Drinking great now, but curious to know what this would be like after a few more years of age. Medium finish.
90
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12/3/2020 - David J Cooper wrote: 91 Points
Clear medium dark red. Cherry, earth, berry, and mushroom nose, quite intense. Intense dry earthy spicy cherry flavours and a very dry finish.
A plus size Chianti.
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11/27/2020 - Costes76 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Lush and spicy on nose, but young and brash again on palate. Still at the price, better value than the Gran Selezione.
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11/14/2020 - FjordogFjell wrote: 91 Points
PnP men A lager lasagne. Spennende dyp lukt med mandel, mørke moreller. Smak med rik moden frukt og ganske tydelig eikevanilje
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11/9/2020 - David J Cooper wrote: 92 Points
Medium light red. Intense cherry, spice and forest floor nose. Dry delicious earthy cherry flavours and a very textured dry finish.
A delicious young Chianti Classico that is very approachable in it’s youth. The weight is heavier then Isole e Olena or Arceno’s versions which I like as much.
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11/6/2020 - Larre Likes this wine: 94 Points
This vintage of the Fontodi standard CC just blows me away every time I taste it – a stunning effort for sure. Layers of cherrie fruit, mocha, and nicely integrated oak. And there is a nerve and depth that you usually find only in the more prestigious Vigna del Sorbo and Flaccianello della Pieve cuvées. The elegant and fine-grained tannins contributes to the majestic finish. Will last and develop for several years to come, but is soo delicious to drink at this early stage. 94+
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11/6/2020 - Baltazar Likes this wine: 90 Points
Excellent with deliciously open and deep nose of sour cherries, aged wood and a touch of leather and spices. Quite rich for a Chianti with excellent acidity and some structure. To drink or keep.
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10/25/2020 - gordy240 wrote: 91 Points
Great well balanced Classico, plums and cherries, spices, dusty tannins, will age well.
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10/17/2020 - Eckie wrote: 94 Points
Best plain CC I have ever drunk. And I have drunk many. Giovanni Manetti has really stepped up with this one. If CC has to cost over €20, you better buy this one.
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10/15/2020 - Jcpwine Likes this wine: 87 Points
Bought at Costco and PnP'd for a pizza dinner that night. Unless it was a bad bottle, it seemed very sour. Did not really have a chance for decant or air as it was split between 5 people, but sour was everyone's opinion. Maybe with some time in the cellar it would improve.
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10/3/2020 - Ridavids Likes this wine:
Nice Chianti, deep rich red notes, no brick, not age marks.
Delicious herbal notes on the nose and palate. Slight refreshing fruit, not a fruit bomb not dominated by fruit. Delicious minerality and slight soil notes, well rounded and balanced wine.
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10/1/2020 - BallyJames Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice, drinking very well now.
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9/23/2020 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep dark reddish-purple in color. Full, forward & fragrant nose of ripe fruit aromas of cherries, blackberries & plums with overtones of earthy/dusty & floral notes, dried herbs, minerals, some spice, anise notes & a hint of cedar in the background. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, dense, ripe fruit flavors of cherries, blackberries & plums with spices, minerals, earthy, cocoa & a hint of oak/vanilla. Lingering finish. Drinks quite well with decanting & extended airing but has the potential (& need) for additional aging to develop further. Should rate even higher with time (92+).
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9/18/2020 - FjordogFjell wrote: 90 Points
Leverer som forventet. Varierer i glasset mellom elegant og litt grov
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8/27/2020 - MatthewVino Likes this wine: 94 Points
A monster Chianti Classico. This will age for an easy 10-15yrs but is very enjoyable now. It overpowered the Querciabella 16 CC in a blind tasting.
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8/23/2020 - RD59 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Full bodied, plenty of fruit, cherry. Got a case and thrilled with it. Look forward to lots of pleasure and consider this a steal, or almost! 3-4 years should be spectacular.
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8/22/2020 - David J Cooper wrote: 91 Points
Clear medium red. Medium intense nose, spicy cherry, potting soil, dried mushrooms and a bit of berry. Dry spicy red cherry flavours and a dry but textured finish.
A bit of a bruiser compared to the Arceno and Isole e Olena CCs.
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7/15/2020 - vinum bonum wrote: 91 Points
Dégustation Chianti 2016 et quelques extras; 7/14/2020-7/15/2020: Robe encore plus sombre, belle vinosité engageante au nez, la bouche présente une matière pleine, assez dense, c'est ambitieux, tanins encore présents, le vin est fait pour la garde. Très bon vin, bu trop jeune ce soit mais tous les éléments sont en place pour un avenir radieux.
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7/9/2020 - Édifice wrote: 92 Points
Nice bouquet with an interesting mix of typical aromas. Palate quite young, chewy, a bit hot / slightly alcoholic but also very fresh with a tannic bite. Quite strong for the level and has clear potential. Still a joy to drink now but should be much better in 2-3 years and even more so around its tenth anniversary. Very strong! 2016 - what a vintage - looking forward to 2026 and beyond!
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7/3/2020 - David J Cooper wrote: 92 Points
Medium dark red. Warm spicy, black cherry and warm soil nose. Dry tight spicy black cherry flavours and a textured long dry finish.
Great potential.
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7/2/2020 - FjordogFjell wrote: 91 Points
Deilig som før. 2 dager flaske: Flott vin. Lett modning. Deilig kirsebær frukt. Flott balanse
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6/29/2020 - ludwigbpm wrote: 93 Points
Un des meilleurs Fontodi bu, allie modernité et classicisme de manière très intéressante. Épices, cigares, bouche ample et structurée par cette acidité du Sangiovese qu’on retrouve en finale sur une trame de fruits noirs.
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6/28/2020 - Jozefs wrote: 91 Points
Better with a few hours of air, will be better in a year or so.
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6/24/2020 - David J Cooper wrote: 90 Points
Clear medium red. Smoky red cherry, dried mushroom and spice nose. Delicious dry earthy cherry flavours and a long dry finish.
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6/5/2020 - Larre Likes this wine: 92 Points
See previous note
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6/3/2020 - irvingn wrote: 93 Points
This wine is too young. However, the structure leaves nothing but potential. Once it did open up this wine was spectacular. Buy a few and don't touch them for a few years. The wine and vintage are spectacular.
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5/23/2020 - FjordogFjell wrote: 91 Points
Pinjekjerner, krydder og moreller på nesen . Flott frukt, fin balanse. Prøv til blank pizza med pinjekjerner, bacon og Chevre. Tydelig - men godt balansert- eik sammenlignet med tvillingen . Veldig flott vin med tanke på pris. Jordbær. 1 dag i åpen flaske: Fast mørk frukt med litt tacokrydder, mista litt av finessen fra i går.
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5/16/2020 - David J Cooper wrote: 91 Points
Medium dark red. Intense nose for a Chianti, but in a quite traditional way, earthy black cherry, berry , and dried mushroom. Dry rich cherry and thyme flavours and a dry textured long finish.
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5/12/2020 - Lewerentz Likes this wine: 91 Points
Easy to pour and drink. Old school w some dark fruit. Dont think it will gain so much with cellering even if it can make it. 90-91p
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5/7/2020 - asheio wrote: 91 Points
Very promising and impressive. So much fruit and power. Maybe the best Chianti Classico I have tasted.
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5/2/2020 - coremill wrote: 88 Points
Out of 375mL. Solid chianti, red fruit, rosemary, good depth, plenty of grippy structure. But not really better than "solid chianti" at this point, so it's poor QPR, there's a lot of decent chianti for 50-60% of the price.
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5/2/2020 - tantotinto wrote: 90 Points
Gave it an hour and a half in a decanter before tasting and it was still rather restrained. It opened up with food (pasta with marinara). Dust, dark cherry, spice and tart acidity. Too early but still very tasty. It needed the food.
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5/1/2020 - FjordogFjell wrote: 90 Points
Rå eik og frukt moreller og marsipan på nesen. Fast fin frukt. Lang fast og frisk ettersmak
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4/10/2020 - MattGeneve Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark cherries and plums with a higher toned perfume and some wood. Deep dark fruited with a nice bitter edge and pretty drying tannins at this stage. Satisfyingly complete even if very young at this point.
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4/3/2020 - Baltazar Likes this wine: 88 Points
Fresh moderately expressive aromatics of sour cherries and wood (in a positive way), followed by fresh, moderately long taste with excellent acidity and noticeable tannins. You may absolutely drink this now, but I believe it will reward a few years keep.
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4/3/2020 - Larre Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fantastic effort from Fontodi, and the best vintage of their basic Chianti Classico I have tasted so far. Packed with dense cherrie fruit layers, perfectly balanced, nice depth, integrated oak and a fine tannic structure. Will evolve nicely over the next 15 years. Bravo! 93+
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3/31/2020 - brasstab Likes this wine: 94 Points
I’ve read raves about this vintage, and I’m here to say they’re accurate. This wine is stunningly aromatic and savory, with a finish that goes for at least three minutes. Do not want it to end.
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3/22/2020 - _Alex_ Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dekantert og luftet i 2 timer. Veldig mørk rødfarge og overraskende tett. Masse deilige kirsebær med det jordlige Sangiovese-aktige preget. Kalde mineraler og et fint rustikk fatpreg med litt vanilje og krydder i avslutningen som står veldig bra til all kirsebærfrukten. Skikkelig bra balansert med tydelige, men behagelige tørre tanniner, og veldig god leskende friskhet. Virker forsatt noe ung, men topp match til pizza capricciosa!
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3/13/2020 - OmiyaDrinker wrote: 92 Points
Wow - sensational nose for the price. Chocolate, red and black cherries, a little pepper, kirsch, balsamic. Very impressive structure but completely balanced by the vibrant acidity. Rustic, leathery finish. If there is a criticism, it is the somewhat aggressive alcohol on the finish but great with food. Bought this as a weeknight pizza wine but much better than that.
Subsequent bottles make me more confident of this judgement. When left for a 2nd day, it gets even better and had the structure to last A considerable time. Unfortunately, I only have 1 left but will try to hold onto it!
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3/7/2020 - bboard Likes this wine:
Brought to restaurant, 30 mins decant, consumed over 2 hours. Good wine from excellent vintage - wine has its rough edges but shows very well at this young age. The last sip at hour 2 drank best, so this will age very well while has the ability to be drank young. Lots of great complexity from fruit to leather to herbs and a touch of minerality. IMHO there's both new & old world elements
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3/6/2020 - FjordogFjell wrote: 90 Points
Kjøttmoreller veldig fylde, marsipan, frisk og flott fast avslutning som etter lenge. Fantastisk vin med tanke på pris.
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3/3/2020 - maxima wrote: 89 Points
Leur petit Chianti, une valeur sure.
Pas le plus complexe mais c'est simple et bien fait.
Nez sur les fruits et les épices.
En bouche, belle acidité et cerises surettes.
Pas long en finale et un brin dilué.
Parfait pour la pizza et le petit plat de pâtes.
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2/26/2020 - Klugi Wine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very pure Chianti with sour cherries and amazing structure. Give this beauty at least 3-5 more years to blossom and then enjoy it over the next 1-2 decades. Right now 92+ with a lot of upside potential. Another hit for Fontodi and a really good PQR.
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1/20/2020 - Lord Rodney wrote: 91 Points
Very much in its infant stage right now. I can go no higher than 91 and that more for the good dark
Fruits than anything else. Funny that the last time
I tasted this wine a week back it was much more charming - probably had a good decant
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1/11/2020 - Alexander Smith Likes this wine: 93 Points
So last time at the winery 92, now 93, 6 months later. This is a very solid wine with so much structure and elegance. The tannins are quite lively for now, however, the quality of the tannins are pretty impressive for a wine of this price. I believe it will hit a sweet spot in around 5-7 years time. Very impressive wine for the price. 92-93
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1/11/2020 - FjordogFjell wrote: 89 Points
Trenger luft, flott fast blåplomme
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1/8/2020 - Roughl wrote: 90 Points
Hold for five years before opening and I expect this will be very nice. A quick coravin sample
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1/7/2020 - WineJ2019 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Medium-bodied red color. Cherry nose with dust/tobacco notes. Medium body, high acidity with lingering raspberry/cherry flavors. Good but I had this previously and enjoyed it more then. Will try again.
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1/3/2020 - FjordogFjell wrote: 90 Points
250 NOK. Fersk morellefrukt. Utvikler seg med litt luft. 3 timer i åpen flaske gir blomster og nyansert frukt.
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12/30/2019 - Barolo Raymond Likes this wine: 91 Points
A full-bred Sangiovese with cherry, chocolate, oak, spice and brutally pleasant chalky finish.
Medium ruby, slightly viscous @14.5% abv. Aromas of cherry, lovely barnyard and prosciutto. Dry-ish, medium(+) acidity, medium-medium(+) tannin, medium(+) alcohol and ditto body. Palate of black cherry, Luxardo/maraschino, mocha, oak notes. Superbalance, silky mouthfeel. Good length with delicious gripping finish.
A delight that makes me realize the potential of CC after having tried out too many of the mediocre ones over the last years. Well done!
Cellaring potential 5-10 year, and if you pop it sooner do decant for 30-60 minutes. I didn't and regret it.
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12/11/2019 - Ara Kafafian Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deeply colored, smoke, cherries, toasty new oak, vanilla, crushed stones, immense, dense, powerful, very long, I can’t believe this is an entry level Chianti! A wine to purchase by the case. Enjoyable now and possibly over the coming decade. For $34.25 CAD, a tremendous achievement from Fontodi, their best entry level Chianti to date, bravo!
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9/21/2019 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
In the darker red-fruit profile, with notes of resin/balsamic, dried herbs, and deep soil tones. The palate is significant, brooding, even, at this tender age. This has passed out of my preferred scope of general enjoyment, but it's also something I could enjoy a few times per year. That said, those of you that know and love the wine will need to be patient - there's a lot of raw material here, and time will be the only thing to resolve it. 160k bottles, BIO-grown; a great value best enjoyed 2025-2039. Over the past two decades, I've been as guilty as anyone when it comes to drinking their Classico too soon. recommended, and that score will improve in time.
https://www.italianwine.blog
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9/14/2019 - Baltazar Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very fine, quite expressive nose of sour cherries, earth and wood, followed by quite rich and long taste with good acidity. Tastes like a well made riserva, probably better in 2-3 years, and will keep well for more than a decade.
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8/30/2019 - Alexander Smith Likes this wine: 92 Points
A very muscular, rustic and powerful Chianti Classico, significantly more than the 2015. This will need around 7 years to really show its full potential. 100% Sangiovese sourced from the Fontodi vineyards around Panzano. This Chianti Classico has aromas of dark cherries and blackberries along with lavender, floral, a touch of chocolate and black pepper notes, the palate was firing on all cylinders with strong dark fruits, dried florals, liquorice and spice, yet the palate was dominated by strong muscular tannins, lively acidity and a long yet not fully settled down finish. Do not pop the cork on this for 8 years. 92+
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7/20/2019 - NickA Likes this wine: 90 Points
From half bottle. Opened up nicely after 30 minute decant. Nose is high-toned, but not overly so, quite vinous, with a hint of mint. Deep black cherry dominates on the palate. It is juicy and balanced, long and savoury, with very fine tannins. Looking forward to trying more of these!
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7/14/2019 - RussK wrote: 91 Points
Russk. Wine Watch Chianti tasting. Good stuff as usual. Pretty ready to drink.
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7/5/2019 - Richard P Howden Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very impressive CC, with a rich deep nose of cherry, earth, and a rich med+ palate with more red fruit and impressively long crunchy finish. Good balance of acid and hint of tannin emerging.
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6/13/2019 - Danneskjöld Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dyp klar rød.
Fin duft av mørk syrlig frukt, krydder og eik.
God fylde med nydelig syrlig frukt. Konsentrert smak med tydelige, men ikke grove, tanniner. God lengde.
Blir bra om 5-10 år.
90/100
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3/13/2019 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 94 Points
The nose was dark and inward at first, as notes of mint, cedar, and animal musk evolved into herbal-infused black cherries, with crushed stone and alpine florals. On the palate, I found soft textures, firmed up by zesty acids that pinched at the cheek, as dark fruits emerged, along with saline-minerality, spice and saturating tannin. The finish was long, structured and earthy, resonating on sous bois, crushed black berry, and savory herbs, while presenting a sensation of umami, which I seldom find in a wine.
The '16 Fontodi CC reminds me more of the Vigna del Sorbo than it ever has in any other vintage. I'm impressed.
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2/5/2019 - "Rhône Rider" Likes this wine: 91 Points
2016 Fontodi classico
Grafit, pepper og mineraler. Mere floral og elegant enn 2015. Flott vin. Lang! 91
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