Description
“Just when I thought I was familiar with the wines of Felsina, the estate comes through with one of the very best sets of new releases I have ever tasted. From top to bottom, these are marvelous wines that deserve serious attention.” Antonio Galloni, The Wine Advocate
Fattoria di Felsina in the hills northeast of Siena is on the southern tip of the Chianti Classico region. Founded in 1966 by Domenico Poggiali, Fèlsina was the Etruscan name for this viticultural terroir nearly 3000 years ago. The estate at the southern border of Castelnuovo Berardenga remains one of Tuscany’s finest terrains. Today, Beppe Poggiali, Giuseppe Mazzocolin and superstar winemaker Franco Bernabei form an awesome team that has overseen 25 years of extensive research and clonal selection of sangiovese to achieve an incredible combination of complexity, structure, power and finesse. They are traditional producers, (organic practices in their vineyards) who solely grow sangiovese and always avoided the temptation to grow cabernet and merlot make “new age” wines from their Chianti vineyards. They have championed the sangiovese grape (native to Toscana) and are renowned for elegant and yet intensely flavoured chiantis (deep and black fruited, smoky tones from the soils and deft touch of new oak). Fèlsina has been awarded Tre Bicchieri every year since the first publication of Gambero Rosso’s Vini d’Italia in 1988, and in 2009 they were named Winery of the Year. Rancia, the estate’s single vineyard Riserva, was included by Decanter magazine in the 50 Great Italian wines of all time.
Fontalloro is 100% Sangiovese from 3 vineyards, 1 located just inside and the other 2 just outside the Chianti Classico border and is renowned for its structure, concentration, intensity and depth.
93 Pts Antonio Galloni, Vinous “The 2009 Fontalloro is 100% Sangiovese from three vineyards; Fontalloro in Chianti Classico and Casalino and Arcidossino, both in the Chianti Colli Senesi appellation. Here too, the vineyards are over 50 years old. Sweet red cherries, tobacco, flowers and spices meld together beautifully in this deep, resonant Fontalloro. This is a more immediate, round style than the Rancia. Ripe, silky tannins frame the long, polished finish. Today the Fontalloro isn’t as expressive as the Rancia, but it generally has a shorter drinking window.”
93 points Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar, “Bright red. Captivating aromas of red cherry, raspberry, licorice and sweet spices. Juicy and tightly wound but essentially pliant, with smooth red fruit and licorice flavors complicated by aromatic fresh herbs. Finishes with supple but mouthcoating tannins. Needs time.” RRP $145
