2013 - Flaccianello delle Pieve, Fontodi, Colli della Toscana Centrale

Fontodi's 2013 Flaccianello della Pieve is a fabulous, riveting wine that grabs hold of all the senses. There is plenty of the richness and textural depth that have always been a Fontodi signature, but in the more contemporary style that seeks to marry power and elegance. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2013 is still very much in its inky, primary stage.

The gorgeous 2013 Flaccianello della Pieve is going through a closed phase at the moment. Let's give the wine a few more years to sort itself out. This window of momentary shyness is a very encouraging sign when you consider how far this wine will travel to complete its evolutionary path. This vintage saw a cool spring that got the season off to a late start. Mild summer temperatures meant that the harvest also came later, with fruit picked the first week of October. The natural characteristics of this vintage include higher total acidity, increased tannic structure and slightly lower alcohol content. The 2013 Flaccianello hits the trifecta of positive potential aging attributes. Indeed, the wine is almost rigid and nervous at this early stage in its adolescence. Like proud parents, we will wait and watch this bottle blossom over time.

This delightful 2013 Fontodi Flaccinello delle Piave has some complex aromas and flavors of smoke, dark, bitter chocolate, new leather, tar and cherry with a very long, savory finish. Manetti explains that the soil in Panzano is very high in "calcareous elements" (limestone) and this characteristic produces wines with high acidity and a lot of fine, silty tannins. The 2013 has an impressively long finish, but felt a bit closed at this tasting.

Made from 1981 from 100% selected Sangiovese, mainly at 500 m elevation. Aged for 24 months in French barriques where malo takes place. Average production 60,000 bottles. So light and pure! Much more approachable than the Vigna del Sorbo. Really racy, this sings loudly. Spicy and glorious. Wonderful purity. (JR)