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2015 Fontodi Vigna De Sorbo Chianti Classico

2015 Fontodi Vigna De Sorbo Chianti Classico

98 JD

Featured Review
The 2015 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna Del Sorbo ratchets up the concentrated richness and the sheer amount of material over the base Chianti Classico. Made from 100% Sangiovese, it’s still not opaque in color but packs an incredible intensity in its black cherry liqueur, new leather, truffle, tobacco leaf, and liquid rock-like minerality. Sangiovese on steroids, yet flawlessly balanced, with loads of ripe tannins balanced by rock-solid acidity and beautiful purity of fruit, this magical Chianti is one for the ages. I love it today with all its baby fat and opulence, yet it’s going to benefit from a solid 4-6 years of bottle age, and I suspect it will evolve for 30 years or more. It’s that good. Jeb Dunnuck

Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JD

Critic Reviews

The 2015 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna Del Sorbo ratchets up the concentrated richness and the sheer amount of material over the base Chianti Classico. Made from 100% Sangiovese, it’s still not opaque in color but packs an incredible intensity in its black cherry liqueur, new leather, truffle, tobacco leaf, and liquid rock-like minerality. Sangiovese on steroids, yet flawlessly balanced, with loads of ripe tannins balanced by rock-solid acidity and beautiful purity of fruit, this magical Chianti is one for the ages. I love it today with all its baby fat and opulence, yet it’s going to benefit from a solid 4-6 years of bottle age, and I suspect it will evolve for 30 years or more. It’s that good.

Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JD
The 2015 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is flat-out stunning. Rich, ample and seductive, with tremendous intensity, the 2015 will go down as one of the truly epic wines of the year. All the elements come together in a deep, sensual Chianti Classico loaded with class and personality. I would give the 2015 at least a few years in the cellar to shed some baby fat, but it is very clearly a tremendous wine in the making, and even more impressive than it was last year. Wow!

Vinous Media | 98 VM
Fontodi's Vigna del Sorbo sits in front of the estate. Southwest facing on galestro soil, the vineyard totals 8ha at an altitude of 450 metres. First produced in 1985, it has been designated as a Gran Selezione since the 2010 vintage. Initially closed, this expands slowly with nuances of red cherry, currants, earth, sage and liquorice coming into clear focus. The palate is well-endowed with compact fruit that has effortlessly absorbed the oak and maintained its integrity. The tannins are vigorous yet harmonious, making for a powerful wine that manages to remain elegantly poised. Drinking Window 2021 - 2036.

Decanter | 97 DEC
What a nose of clay, earth, crushed stones, rose petals, red licorice, baking spices, tar and Chinese spices. The level of sophistication to the red-fruited core, laser-sharp acidity and polished tannins, which grip and caress the palate, make this the greatest Chianti Classico ever made by Fontodi. From organically grown grapes. A long, long finish. Drink in 2022.

James Suckling | 97 JS
The 2015 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo (100% Sangiovese) is a wine that inspires a deep, deep breath into your glass. There's so much to take in and admire. So where to start? First, the wine shows a beautiful appearance that is thick and dark but allows for just enough ambient light to make it shine with ruby rays from deep inside. Then you have the bouquet that presents a solid wall of interwoven and ultimately beautifully balanced aromas. There is dark fruit, tobacco, leather, spice and polished river stone. Lastly, the mouthfeel reveals a similar level of extreme flavor equilibrium with very fine but still very young tannins. That mid-weight structure, matched to the wine's natural acidity, is a major guarantee of longevity. Bottle production in this vintage is 30,000 units strong.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RP
This is concentrated and monolithic, with blackberry and black cherry flavors augmented by tar, tobacco and iron notes. Offers excellent potential, but needs time to absorb the tannins. Powerful, showing fine length. Best from 2023 through 2040. 1,800 cases made, 700 cases imported.

Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Wine Details for 2015 Fontodi Vigna De Sorbo Chianti Classico

Type of Wine Chianti : To taste a finely crafted, delicious Chianti is to speak with the spirit of noble, wise people. These Tuscan titans are a demonstration of Sangiovese's purity and potency, and a thrill ride for the senses. Drink deep and prepare to visit paradise with a bottle of delicious Chianti at your side.
Varietal Sangiovese : When it comes to Tuscan wine, Sangiovese is king. This mighty grape variety resides not only in Tuscany, but throughout Italy. The varietal is responsible for some of the greatest wines in the country, including Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, Rosso di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and the infamous “Super Tuscans.” Sangiovese is extremely capable of adapting to the various climates and terroirs of Italy but is quite at home in Tuscany, where it is believed to have been birthed.

Like most ancient grape varieties, there are many speculations about Sangiovese’s true time and place of origin. Some theories claim the Sangiovese grape dates back to the Etruscan era and cultivated mostly in Tuscany. Another theory is that it was cultivated by the ancient Romans. Sangiovese is believed to have been first documented in 1590 by agronomist, Gian Vettorio Soderini who talked about ‘Sanghiogeto” in an essay. There is no definitive evidence that ‘Sanghiogeto’ is the Sangiovese grape that is beloved and famous today; however, it is still considered by many to be the first appearance of the grape in written fashion. It wouldn’t be until the 18th century that Sangiovese would become well-known and started being planted all over the region. It was mentioned in l’Oenologia Toscana, written by Cosimo Villafranchi in 1773, in which he discussed the winemaking process of Chianti and the use of Sangiovese.

Today, Sangiovese accounts for 10% of all winemaking grapes planted in Italy. This statistic may not seem significant but taken into consideration there are 350 authorized grape varieties across 20 wine regions, it is quite remarkable. Due to its versatility, Sangiovese is one of the most diverse grape varieties used in winemaking. However, the grape can be temperamental and sensitive to the environment in which it is planted. It is very much similar to the Pinot Noir in this fashion. Wines made with Sangiovese grapes can turn out tasting extremely different, based on climate, terroir and process. While the varietal can successfully grow most places, it tends to grow best in hot, dry climates with terroir composed mostly of shallow, limestone soils. Famously native to Tuscany but Sangiovese also grows in many other winemaking locations in Italy, such as Umbria in Central Italy, Campania in the South and Romagna where the grape is known as Sangiovese di Romagna.

There are approximately 71,000 hectares of Sangiovese covering the earth’s surface, 62,725 of which reside in Italy (mostly Tuscany). Outside Italy, Sangiovese has grown quite popular in many winegrowing regions around the world, including the French Island of Corsica, where it ranks 2nd among all Sangiovese growing localities. It was introduced to Argentina in the late 19th century by Italian immigrants and remains successful in the region of Mendoza. Although Sangiovese was brought to America in the 1880’s, it was unpopular until the 1980’s when “Super Tuscans” caused a re-emergence of the grape in Napa Valley and Sonoma Coast. Sangiovese has also gained popularity in Barossa Valley in Southern Australia.

The thin skinned, medium sized, blue-black berries of Sangiovese produce medium to full bodied, dry and highly acidic wines with fruity and savory flavors of plum, cherry, licorice, leather, tobacco and dust. Sangiovese may be synonymous with Brunello, and vice-versa, but the world of Sangiovese is far more intricate than a single wine, a single village, hillside town or designated area of control. It is the exclusive varietal and shining star in Brunello di Montalcino and provides the backbone for Chianti and many of the great Italian wines, and has gained an outstanding reputation as one of the world’s great grape varietals.

Country Italy : Italy is renowned as one of the world’s greatest gastronomic havens; from certified Prosciutto di Parma to the sea-side seafood eateries on the island of Sicily. However, this epicurean experience could not possibly be as hedonistic without the ethereal combination of the country’s plethora of fine wines. It seems unfair that a nation should be able to boast, both, some of the world’s greatest cuisine as well as its greatest wines. Italian wine is one of the most sought after in the world, and has become the second most produced in the world, behind only France.



Stretching an impressive 736 miles from northern Italy to the peninsula’s southern tip, the country’s geography generates an enormous array of topography, climate and soil structure. This is an extremely important quality of its winegrowing and making industry which lays claim to nearly 550 different grape varietals, which all desire their own necessities, in terms of terroir and climate.



The still red wines of Italy truly characterize the nation’s vast and expansive terroir; Nebbiolo dominates Piedmont, where Barolo and Barbaresco reign king and queen of the region’s production. Hailing from Brunello di Montalcino in Tuscany, the rockstar Sangiovese grape has become synonymous with greatness. Vin Santo sweet wines have taken on a mighty feat of competing with the glorious wines of Sauternes, and of course, Prosecco. Prosecco, located in Trieste (northeast Italy) and its creation of luxuriously effervescent styles of wine has become Italy’s answer to Champagne. The Glera grape variety, which has become synonymous with the name Prosecco, is the main ingredient and is beloved in the appellation where the village of Prosecco’s name has become world renowned.



The blurred boundary between Italy and the countries of Slovenia and Austria, where German influence still resonates through Friuli wines. The prevalence of Riesling and other such grape varietals is high in this region and have become extremely popular on today’s market.



With nearly 702,000 hectares of grapevines covering the massive and diverse landscape, Italy’s annual average of 48.3 million hectoliters of wine production is second only to France in terms of volume and Spain in terms of hectares of vines. The country is vast and overwhelming when it comes to the culinary arts, but perhaps even this is overshadowed by its production of some of the world’s most sought after wines, whether the omnipresent Chianti to the highly collectible and sought after Amarone della Valpolicalla.


Region Tuscany : Italian culture worships the concept of a shared meal, and their wines scream for a chance to be uncorked with your friends and family. The region's Mediterranean climate and hilly landscape combine to create a beautiful viticultural environment, where every chosen grape is brought to its full potential and transmuted into drinks worthy of gods. The vineyards are planted along the higher reaches of the hill slopes, creating a gorgeous view of the Italian landscape.

Once your lips kiss the wine, you're sent spiraling down a veritable whirlpool of pure flavor, touching upon notes of sensuous cherry, nuts, floral hints and undertones of honey and minerals. The wines can be as sweet as a fresh summer romance, and carry an air of dignity and elegance about them that can stimulate your intellect for months as you contemplate the seemingly infinite intricacies and details in the texture. Tuscany is an important part of Italian viticulture, and sampling their wines is the closest you can get to visiting this heavenly region and experiencing the culture.

Overview

Producer Fontodi

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