Fèlsina Berardenga, Fontalloro
PL Award 1: SILVER - IWC 2016
Country: Italy Region: Tuscany Vintage: 2018
Varietal: Sangiovese and blends Category: Red Wine Color: Red
Producer: Fèlsina Berardenga
"This 470 hectare estate is located northeast of Siena, in the commune of Castelnuovo Berardenga on the southern border of the Chianti Classico production area. Fèlsina epitomises the powerful style of southern Chianti, where the wines are stylistically more akin to those from Montalcino than their fellow Chianti from Fontodi or Isole e Olena.
Giuseppe Mazzocolin ran the estate from the end of the 1970s until 2011. He is now less involved in the day to day management, but consultant oenologist Franco Bernabei is still very much at the helm of the winemaking team.
The Fèlsina Chianti Classico is fresh and vibrant with remarkable elegance. Their barrel-fermented Chardonnay 'I Sistri' is made from 60% free-run must and combines a ripe, buttery nose with a touch of tropical fruit on the palate, while maintaining a fresh finish. 'Vigneto Rancia' is a six hectare Sangiovese vineyard on sandstone, chalk and galestro soils. The wine is aged for 12-18 months in oak and is concentrated yet elegant with dark, red and blackberry fruit and a fine character. The 'Fontalloro' is made solely from Sangiovese grapes grown on three vineyards, two of which sit just outside the Classico border. It is typically characterised by a powerful structure and great concentration of tannins.
The 2009 Gran Selezione Colonia is made from Sangiovese grapes grown on a vineyard that was finally planted in 1993, after many years of extremely hard work on this difficult but rewarding site. Aged for 30 months in French oak for and only produced in very small quantities it displays a unique complexity and intensity which justifies its position at the apex of premium Chianti Classico wines."
Product Features: Sustainable;Vegetarian
Product Allergens: Sulphites Label
Winemaker: Franco Bernabei
Vineyards:
Grapes for Fontalloro are grown on the Fontalloro and Poggio al Sole vineyards situated inside the Chianti Classico zone, and the Casalino and Arcidossino vineyards in the Chianti Colli Senesi zone. The vines are guyot trained, with a maximum of 5-8 buds per vine. They are over 50 years old, situated at an altitude of 400 metres above sea level. Soils here are calcareous in the Chianti Classico area and predominantly loamy and sandy on the borders of the Crete Senesi. Planting density is 5,400 per hectare.
Vinification:
After de-stemming and pressing, fermentation took place at 28-30°C with daily punching down of the cap, followed by a 16-20 day maceration. The wine was then racked into barriques in March/April for 18-20 months. It was blended in stainless steel tanks and further aged in bottle for 8-12 months before release.
Tasting Notes:
A deep ruby wine with savoury notes and perfumes of spice and tobacco. The palate is powerful and concentrated with ripe tannins and a great structure supporting spiced autumnal fruit. Tremendous length with notes of blackberries and tobacco on the finish.
Food Suggestion: Serve with pan-fried pigeon breast, a fig compote and braised cabbage.
Closure: Natural Cork ABV:14% Classification: IGT
