Fine Wine

Lot 321 Details

FONTODI FLACCIANELLO DELLA PIEVE 2008 (1)

Tuscany.
u. bn. marked label.

Here's a vintage that came out of left field and knocked me flat with delight. The 2008 Flaccianello della Pieve is just my kind of Sangiovese with a gorgeous level of silkiness and smoothness, all followed by tangy menthol freshness and balsam herb that give so much momentum to the vertical lift and drive of the bouquet. The wine's complexity is enhanced by drying mineral notes with barbecue smoke and mesquite. There is a slight hint of ripeness here that you taste in the sweetness of the tannins and the satiny nature of the finish. I love the balance between the wine's natural acidity and the softer side of its fruit. This vintage is drinking beautifully at the moment. Don't miss this exciting window. June 2019 Drink: 2019-2035 WA 96+

FONTODI FLACCIANELLO DELLA PIEVE 2009 (1)

Tuscany.
u. bn. marked label.

The 2009 Flaccianello della Pieve is now hitting that very specific point in a wine's evolution in which you still identity some of the fruit, but you also get a supporting chorus of evolved aromas that enhance the overall finesse and depth of the bouquet. This wine is coming along beautifully and seems right on point in terms of its forward moving aging trajectory. Dried blackberry, cherry confit and plum are rounded out by spice, toast and bitter chocolate. The bouquet fires out on multiple sides, thus increasing the perceived complexity on hand. This vintage is very open and frank, and this is another endearing quality to admire. Interestingly, this vintage saw naturally high yields. Giovanni Manetti tells me they had to work very carefully in terms of green harvest and fruit selection in order to achieve this impeccable level of balance. July 2019 Drink: 2019-2035 WA 95

FONTODI FLACCIANELLO DELLA PIEVE 2012 (1)

Tuscany.
u. bn. marked label.

Whereas the 2011 vintage is overtly ripe, the 2012 Flaccianello della Pieve is slightly more evolved. Instead of sweet ripeness, you get savory ripeness with dried fruit, prune, black licorice, balsam herb, rosemary essence and scorched earth. The 2012 season produced fewer flowers, and yields in this vintage were naturally reduced as a result. Like 2011, however, this vintage saw an early harvest thanks to hot and dry conditions during the summer that increased the speed of ripening. This edition reveals more thickness and dense concentration as well, something you notice in the intensity of the mouthfeel and the firmness of the wine's tannic structure. June 2019 Drink: 2019-2033 WA 94+

Realised: $624