2015 - Chianti Classico Vigna del Sorbo Gran Selezione, Fontodi

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!

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.

Fontodi own a total of 107 ha of vines, all in Panzano plus Lamole, including 30 ha of old vines. The Pastrolo Gran Selezione from Lamole is Giovanni Manetti’s own wine, cf Filetta di Lamole which is a joint venture with his cousin. 1985 was the first vintage of this wine. 100% Sangiovese from a parcel close to the cellar facing south-west on schist. 50-to 62-year-old vines.Dark shaded ruby. Really intense and fascinating nose. Lovely round tannins and such freshness, too. 2016 may be more fashionable than 2015 but Giovanni Manetti points out that they are very similar vintages. Quite enough acidity and very long. (JR)