Fontodi Meriggio Bianco Colli Toscana Centrale IGT

Merrigio Colli Toscana Centrale IGT from Fontodi

A white wine from the golden valley

Apart from "Queen Sangiovese", the autochthonous grape variety of the Chianti Classico par excellence, other grapes also grow and thrive at Fontodi. For example, the international varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Sauvignon blanc. And it is from these latter Sauvignon blanc grapes that Fontodi produces one of the rare white wines that come from the Conca d'Oro - the golden valley of Panzano in Chianti. This is because the Merrigio Colli Toscana Centrale IGT is a one hundred percent Sauvignon blanc. The grapes for this wine grow in the vineyards near Villa La Rota, which is also an excellent place to spend a vacation in Tuscany. After the harvest, the grapes undergo the ripening process: at a controlled temperature for a period of six months in steel tanks. To the great disappointment of all white wine drinkers, Fontodi's Merrigio is only produced in very small quantities: Only 8,000 bottles leave the winery each year. So it's best to stock up and enjoy it fresh!

Tenuta Fontodi: a fantastic winery in the hills between Florence and Siena

On the route between Florence and Siena, the Strada Chiantigiana leads through one of the most beautiful and historic landscapes in Italy: Tuscany. With its vineyards, olive groves and cypress trees, for many people it is synonymous with the Italian way of life, joie de vivre and good taste - not least because of the excellent wines produced here in Chianti Classico. Tenuta Fontodi is one of the centers of good taste. With a total area of 130 hectares - 80 of which are vineyards - and an annual production of 400,000 bottles of wine, the estate is one of the larger wineries in the region. The Manetti family acquired the estate and its vineyards in 1968 - originally as a weekend home in the countryside. However, the family quickly became aware of the great treasure that had been given to them: namely the absolute top locations on the slopes of the world-famous Conca d'Oro, the shell-shaped valley of Panzano in Chianti, with its very special terroir and ideal soil conditions for winegrowing. Since the early 1980s, Giovanni Manetti has run Tenuta Fontodi on his own, while his brother Marco takes care of the terracotta production that originally made the family famous.

Organic and sustainability by conviction

The interplay of terroir, i.e. the sites where the vines grow and the grapes ripen, and the "Galestro" soil, which is ideal for Sangiovese, produces wines at Fontodi that need not shy away from international comparison. All these conditions ensure that the Sangiovese grapes in the Conca d'Oro ripen perfectly while retaining their freshness, acidity and structure. Of course, the international grape varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Sauvignon blanc feel very much at home here, albeit to a much lesser extent. The natural cultivation of the vineyards, which is very important to Giovanni Manetti, certainly plays a significant role in the quality of the wines. He was also the one who launched the "Panzano sostenibile" project - i.e. "sustainable Panzano". The idea behind it is that organic farming works best when the neighbor does the same. Then nature benefits the most, biodiversity increases and a new balance is created. The majority of winegrowers in Panzano are now involved in this project. Since 2003, Fontodi's vineyards have been cultivated according to biodynamic principles and the winery is officially certified as an organic farm - as are numerous other businesses in the "No. 1 organic district in Italy".

World-class wines from the Chianti Classico

The main focus of the grape varieties at Fontodi is certainly on the autochthonous Sangiovese. It occupies the majority of the vineyards. No wonder, as three of Fontodi's five reds are made from 100 percent Sangiovese. On the one hand, there is of course the Chianti Classico with an ageing period of 18 months, of which 200,000 bottles are bottled every year and enjoyed all over the world. Red and also "solo Sangiovese" since the 2012 vintage is the Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo Chianti Classico. It rests and matures for 24 months in new and used Troncais and Allier barrels. However, the Sangiovese superstar in the Fontodi range is still the Flaccianello della Pieve Colli Toscana Centrale IGT, which is made from one hundred percent Sangiovese from the very first bottle. On a much smaller scale, another red wine is produced at Tenuta Fontodi: the Syrah Case Via. It differs significantly from the first three reds mentioned in one respect - it is made entirely from the international grape variety Syrah. 

In Italy, in the region Tuscany, in the region Chianti Classico, in Panzano in Chianti

Giovanni & Marco Manetti

Giovanni Manetti

80 ha of which 70 ha are classified as Chianti Classico

Galestro

South, Southwest

430 - 480 meters above sea level.

4,000 to 6,000 vines per ha

Guyot