2010 Fontodi Chianti Classico

Community Tasting Notes (217) Avg Score: 90.2 points

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  1/11/2024 - PaulusLoZebra Likes this wine: 94 Points

  This is an outstanding expression of Sangiovese, and if anything, it (L203) has improved since I last had it 18 months ago. Even at age 15 it needed air to shine. It was served over three nights, on night one with an aeration one hour before dinner, then stored in the original bottle in the refrigerator without gas or vacu-vin. On nights two and three it was poured one hour before dinner without further aeration. It was best on night two.
  
  The wine has complex aromatics, great acidity, integrated tannins, and a long, savory finish. It's succulent, silky, and subtly exotic.
  
  Over at Vinous, Antonio once again got this wine exactly right (93 / 16-30), and this time Ian missed it. And as happens often with Tuscany and Piedmont, there is a big difference between the drinking windows suggested by Antonio (16-30) and Walter Speller at Jancis Robinson (13-18 and 15-20). I cannot understand those short drinking windows at all. For the last bottle I suggested a drinking window to 2035, but I now reign in my exuberance and land at Antonio’s 2030.
  
  This wine shows once again how Fontodi’s CC often outperforms many CC Riservas. They are such a great producer that their wines command a slight premium, so this wine is not among the best QPRs, but for those who are patient it consistently repays the investment.

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  1/7/2024 - Brett H Likes this wine: 94 Points

  I really enjoyed this bottle, it was well balanced and had the perfect amount of age for my taste - though could age longer and improve in flavour though not sure the balance will get better. There is still some sour cherry flavour, but also rich tertiary characteristics such as mushrooms, spice, cigar and leather. Good nose, but thought the nose on previous bottles was better
  
  Has a richness of flavour that comes with well aged Sangiovese that for me tugs at the pit of my stomach in a good way - not sure if anyone else gets this feeling?

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  12/10/2023 - shutto1992@gmail.com Likes this wine: 93 Points

  Decanted1 hour. Dried rose, leather, cranberry. Very nice.

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  12/4/2023 - foyfrcs Likes this wine: 87 Points

  Deep garnet.
  Spice, fig, cranberry nose/palate. Flattened out somewhat.
  This isn’t as enjoyable as in 2021 and I believe that it needs drinking up over the next couple of years.

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  10/7/2023 - TightLettuce Likes this wine: 93 Points

  The consensus at the table was 93-94 points, a truly epic showing for a 2010 chianti classico
  
  At 13 years old, it is at it's peak. The tart cherry notes are still present but starting to fade. A dominant aroma of dried rose and violets consumes the glass with leathery notes intermixed as well. light mushroom notes are beginning to come alive in the foreground at this point of the evolution as well.
  
  The palate was superb, tannin and acids were both medium plus, the finish was nice and long. I think there are too many people who drink these young and don't get to enjoy the drinking experience our group had last night.
  
  Amazing showing Fontodi.

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