2011 - Flaccianello delle Pieve, Fontodi, Colli della Toscana Centrale

The 2011 and 2012 vintages are close cousins, with the 2011 Flaccianello della Pieve appearing a bit softer and plumper around the midsection. This was a notoriously warm vintage that saw sugar and phenolic ripeness shoot up very quickly at the end of the growing season. Indeed, this wine produces a noticeable level of sweetness on the finish, all surrounded by jammy flavors of cherry confit and blackberry marmalade. My observation is that this 2011 vintage feels more overtly ripe, whereas the 2012 vintage is able to hide some of its ripeness within the general fleshiness and succulence of the fruit. Giovanni Manetti says that 2011 resulted in some dried berries on the clusters that had to be removed by hand on the sorting table. This problem did not occur in 2012.

The 2011 Flaccianello della Pieve has come along quite nicely over the last year. The signatures of the unusually warm, dry vintage are very much in evidence in the wine's profile and overall weight. At the same time, the richness and overall unctuousness suggest the 2011 will drink well earlier than some of the surrounding vintages - once it sheds some baby fat.

24 months in French barriques. Dark crimson. Rich and sweet on the front palate with all the kick of ripe Sangiovese behind. Dramatic. Long. Fiery. Concentrated. A very different style to Isola e Olena’s. (JR)