Le Fonti Panzano Merlot IGT

Merlot Toscana IGT from Le Fonti Panzano

A Supertuscan that is still in its infancy

The 2015 vintage was the first time that Le Fonti produced a Supertuscan from 100 percent Merlot grapes. Or as Vicky Schmitt-Vitali, owner of Le Fonti, affectionately calls it: her "baby Supertuscan". But the youngest of Le Fonti's wine creations certainly doesn't need to play small. Because in terms of taste, this Merlot can easily compete with its "big brothers" from other famous wine-growing regions of the world. With its fresh and fruity note, the dark berry aroma of cherries and blackberries, its freshness on the finish and good acidity, Le Fonti's Merlot is the ideal accompaniment to all Italian pasta dishes. Le Fonti Merlot is also an excellent accompaniment to meat dishes such as roasts or saltimbocca. Typical of a Merlot, the wine is soft and pleasant on the palate and perfectly reflects the terroir without containing a single Sangiovese grape. This harmonious wine is the result of a carefully composed process: after the harvest - which is of course carried out by hand - the grapes are placed in a stainless steel tank for fermentation and malolactic fermentation. For the further maturation process, the nascent wine is placed in French oak barrels with a capacity of 500 to 700 liters. The wine remains here for a further 12 months before being bottled with the bunny on the label. Because there is more than enough of Meister Lampe in the vineyards of Le Fonti. 

Fattoria Le Fonti: Organic and sustainable viticulture for wines of distinction

All the wines produced at Fattoria Le Fonti come from organic, sustainable cultivation. This is because the winegrowers joined forces more than two decades ago to form the "Unione di Viticoltori di Panzano". The aim was to convert the cultivation of all vineyards to organic and sustainable methods. As a result, the area around Panzano in Chianti has even been named "Italy's organic district" by the international wine press in recent years. The vineyards of Le Fonti are mainly planted with Sangiovese - the autochthonous leading variety of Chianti Classico. However, the two international grape varieties Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon can also be found in the vineyards of Le Fonti. Not forgetting the 1,500 olive trees. Le Fonti's vineyards are located at the back of the Conca d'Oro, the golden valley, in the "Alta Valle della Greve". The advantage of these sites is that the climate here is somewhat cooler than in the shell-shaped valley itself, which allows the grapes to ripen more gently in the hot summers.

Red, pink, green: the colors of the Fattoria Le Fonti range

Vicky and Guido Schmitt-Vitali, the two owners of Fattoria Le Fonti, have dedicated themselves to viticulture and the production of olive oil in the heart of the medieval town of Panzano in Chianti. The basis of the Le Fonti range is - how could it be otherwise - a typical, very drinkable Chianti Classico. There is also a Chianti Classico Riserva and, since the 2013 vintage, a Chianti Classico Gran Selezione. Le Fonti also scores with the internationally award-winning Super Tuscan "Fontissimo", a fruity, fresh rosato and the quaffable house wine "La Lepre". The youngest "baby" in the range is the 100% Merlot. And where 1,500 olive trees grow, an olive oil is of course a must - fruity and fresh, a real treat.

A winery for connoisseurs in the middle of Chianti Classico

Halfway between Florence and Siena, in the heart of Chianti Classico, lies the small village of Panzano in Chianti. In the middle of the village, just below the village church, is the entrance to Fattoria Le Fonti. At an altitude of around 450 meters above sea level, the winery covers a total area of 15 hectares - 8.5 hectares are planted with vines and the rest with olive trees. Around 40,000 bottles of wine are bottled annually at Fattoria Le Fonti. What appears to be a large number at first glance turns out to be a comparatively small amount on closer inspection. Compared to many other wineries, Le Fonti has remained a relatively small family winery. Vicky's father Konrad bought the estate in 1994. It was only a few years ago that Vicky and her husband Guido took over Le Fonti as wine career changers, so to speak, as neither of them had had much to do with viticulture until then. They threw themselves into the "Le Fonti" project with a lot of love and passion. And their efforts have paid off: Fattoria Le Fonti has become a top destination for wine connoisseurs. The wines have won numerous international awards and are in high demand around the globe. On a tour of the cellar and vineyard, Vicky reveals some of the winemaker's secrets and, of course, a tasting of the fine wines is a must at the end. An absolute must when you are in Panzano!

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

Vicky Schmitt-Vitali

Marco Pierucci

8.5 ha of which 5.7 ha are classified as Chianti Classico

Galestro

Southeast

350 - 450 meters above sea level.

5,500 - 6,000 plants per ha

Cordon