Le Fonti Panzano Olio d'Oliva Extra Vergine

Olio Extra Vergine d'Oliva from Fattoria Le Fonti Panzano

A golden-green delight

Vicky Schmitt-Vitali and her husband Guido, the two owners of Le Fonti, produce not only award-winning red wines but also an outstanding extra virgin olive oil. Around 1,500 olive trees grow and thrive on Le Fonti. Crucial to the production of this high-quality olive oil is the rapid and gentle processing of the fruit immediately after harvesting, which takes place from the end of October, depending on the year. Cold pressing and centrifugal separation (of oil and water) take place at the local oil mill. Le Fonti's extra virgin olive oil is filtered after a short resting phase. Immediately after pressing, the olive oil is light green; over time, it becomes more and more golden in color. The first pressing is traditionally celebrated at Le Fonti with an enjoyable ritual: Pane Toscano, the typical unsalted white bread of Tuscany, toasted over an open fire, topped with fresh olive oil and a little salt. Once you have tasted olive oil in this way, you will be convinced of its quality for the rest of your life. Golden-green in color and piquant in taste, this cold-pressed olive oil is perfect for salads, vegetables and, of course, all dishes of Tuscan cuisine.

Pure Chianti Classico: Fattoria Le Fonti in Panzano

Vicky Schmitt-Vitali and her husband Guido run the family winery Le Fonti, which Vicky's father Konrad bought in 1994. Sustainable, organic farming and the traditional processing of raw materials combined with the latest know-how - this combination is what makes Fattoria Le Fonti in the heart of Tuscany so successful. The carefully selected range reflects the consistency with which these principles are implemented: of course, there are the typical red wines of the region - the Chianti Classico and the Chianti Classico Riserva, new since the 2013 harvest a Chianti Classico Gran Selezione, the quaffable house wine "La Lepre" - but a fruity Rosato is also part of the range. And last but not least: the super Tuscan with the sparkling name "Fontissimo". The icing on the cake for all lovers of Tuscan cuisine is an extra virgin olive oil. The purest pleasure!

The family winery in the Alta Valle della Greve

Compared to other wineries in the area, Le Fonti is a relatively small operation with an annual production of around 40,000 bottles. From cultivating the vines to harvesting the grapes and producing the wine, the work remains in the family, so to speak. In 1994, all the vineyards were replanted. The cellar was also renovated and extended. The winery covers an area of 15 hectares - 8.5 hectares of which are vineyards. The autochthonous grape variety Sangiovese - the leading variety in the entire Chianti Classico - is grown here, as well as the international grape varieties Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. There are more than 1,500 olive trees on the remaining area. All these plants and their fruit benefit from the special, cooler microclimate that prevails here in the "Alta Valle della Greve", at the back of the "Conca d'Oro" - the golden valley.

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

Marco Pierucci