Attenzione! Attenzione! There's news from Fattoria Le Fonti…
Le Fonti di Panzano
One thing's for sure: if it says Le Fonti, you know it's top quality!
Drumroll for all Le Fonti fans and Chianti Classico lovers: The new vintages from Le Fonti have arrived! And guess what? Two new wines are here! For the first time in the shop, we have the 2017 Rosato. And completely new to Le Fonti's lineup: a 100% 2015 Merlot.
The winery is right in the historic heart of Panzano in Chianti – just below the little village church. Its vineyards spread across 8.5 hectares in the Alta Valle della Greve, which is the Greve river valley, located on the backside of the Conca d’Oro, or 'golden valley'.
The Two Newbies: Rosato and Merlot
But let's jump right into the two 'new arrivals' in the shop: Besides all the buzz about the British royal baby, a 'baby Supertuscan' (as Vicky Schmitt-Vitali, owner of Fattoria Le Fonti, lovingly calls her new red) has also just arrived. This 'little' IGT in the Le Fonti range is a single-varietal 2015 Merlot. It's aged in French Tonneaux oak barrels. The result? A wonderfully soft red that's super easy to drink. Especially if you're not usually a fan of Sangiovese's acidity, you'll absolutely love this Merlot.
Also new to the NinaInChianti.com lineup: a Rosato from Le Fonti! Unlike other Rosatos, this one is made using the Saignée method. This means the grapes 'bleed' out. Basically, the longer contact between the grapes, skins, and must gives the wine a richer color and fuller aroma. After about two to three weeks of fermentation at low temperatures, the wine then ages for three more months in stainless steel tanks before being bottled. So, what's actually in it? 70% Sangiovese, 30% Merlot, and a whole lot of drinking pleasure! It's great as an aperitif, with appetizers, or even with fish. And as always with Rosato: enjoy it young!
New Vintages from Old Le Fonti Favorites
The 2015 vintage of Le Fonti Chianti Classico is now available in the shop. As we've mentioned before, 2015 was a truly beautiful vintage all around. Typical for 2015 are its lovely spice notes, pleasant acidity, and beautiful fruitiness – making it a very drinkable Chianti Classico overall. It's made from 90% Sangiovese, 9% Merlot, and a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon.
There's also a new vintage for the Chianti Classico Riserva – the 2014. While some initially called 2014 a tricky vintage, we can now confidently say that all the doubters have been proven wrong. Because some really beautiful Riservas came out of it. The 2014 Riserva from Le Fonti isn't the most powerful, naturally, but it's absolutely gorgeous to drink. Wonderfully smooth with a lovely structure – highly, highly recommended! It's the perfect companion for barbecue season, just in time for summer.
The grapes for the current Fontissimo – Le Fonti's flagship wine – also come from 2014. This wine, made from 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, shows incredible elegance, clarity, and fruitiness on your tongue and palate.
Last but not least: The La Lepre IGT – Le Fonti's house wine. The new vintage here is the 2016, made from 60% Sangiovese, 35% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. It's a simple, young Chianti wine, just as lovely and easy-drinking as a good house wine should be. And by the way: it's a perfect food companion.
To sum it up, Le Fonti's range is once again showing the same high quality as in recent years – maybe even with a little boost in excellence. The wines are becoming more precise, compact, and expressive. Or, to put it simply: Drink, drink, drink!