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: 2012 Fontodi "Flaccianello della Pieve" Toscana

2012 Fontodi "Flaccianello della Pieve" Toscana

SKU #1259384 97 points Decanter

Outer quote mark Manetti calls 2012 'the vintage of two faces': summer was very hot until mid-August, when some rain brought cooler temperatures which slowed down ripening. In chillier zones than Panzano, Sangiovese struggled to ripen, he says. Even more expressive than when it was initially released, the 2012 has a decidedly exotic manner. Saffron, liquorice and cardamom overlay violets and earth. The tannins are polished with an intriguing chalky texture. It's compact and full but balanced, with a core of vibrant acidity and a long explosive finish. This has the bones to age brilliantly. (MM) Inner quote mark (10/2018)

97 points Vinous

Outer quote mark Tasted next to the 2012 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo, the Flaccianello is richer, deeper and more flamboyant. Super-ripe red stone fruit, smoke, licorice and dark spices meld together in a deep, powerful wine. The 2012 is impressive, but personally I prefer the finesse and freshness of the Sorbo. The greater influence of new French oak is also felt in the wine's texture. Still, that is splitting hairs, as the level here is high. Very high. (AG) Inner quote mark (10/2016)

94 points James Suckling

Outer quote mark A fresh and clean wine with mineral, blackberry, blueberry and lavender character. Full body, fine and chewy tannins and a tangy finish. Refined and beautiful. Needs a year or two to soften. Organically grown grapes. Inner quote mark (8/2015)

94 points Wine Advocate

Outer quote mark 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. (ML) 94+ Inner quote mark (7/2019)

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2012 Fontodi "Flaccianello della Pieve" Toscana

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Product Reviews:

By: John Downing | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 7/8/2016 | Send Email

Flaccianello remains one of the greatest Tuscan Sangioveses and the 2012 is regal. The Manetti family reduced the yields by twenty percent and carefully selected the grapes from five of their parcels to make this stunning wine. The fruit is dark, rich and aromatic and the wine is full-bodied with deftly integrated tannins and oak and the ability to age many years. Open now with proper aeration or allow it to develop in the cellar. Outstanding.

By: Rachel Alcarraz | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 7/6/2016 | Send Email

Big, beautiful, full and focused. This wine is a wonderful expression of Sangiovese. It begins with juicy deep fruits such as blackberry and black cherry. It has gripping tannins that are complemented by dry spice and leather. The wine does not weigh down the palate, but intrigues the senses with its long, clean finish.

By: Greg St. Clair | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 7/6/2016 | Send Email

I have always loved Flaccianello, its’ purity of fruit, the meticulous winemaking, and exceptional vineyard sourcing has made it an international sensation. This vintage is magnificent; the nose is full of wild cherry, spice, earth and a sense of the suns warmth, not overripe but it has a glow. On the palate the first sensation is of its incredible length, long and then even longer but that doesn’t take away from the supple richness coiled around the central structure giving one a sense of richness. The tannins are sweet and long and with the wines length they give the wine a powerful structure for long term aging while still in excellent balance. The finish is full of spice box, leather and plum, rich with a sense of lengthening. A superb wine, hope fully you have a child born in this year, got married in this year or just like to drink this year!

Drink from 2016 to 2042

Additional Information:

Varietal:

Sangiovese

- The most widely planted grape in Italy is Sangiovese, a high-acid grape with moderate to high tannins, apparent earthiness and subtle fruit. It is thought to have originated in Tuscany and its name, which translates to "blood of Jove," leads historians to believe it may date all the way back to the Etruscan period, though historical mentions only go as far back as the early 1700s. Though planted all over modern Italy, the most significant wines made from Sangiovese still come from Tuscany: Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino. Sangiovese must make up 75% of a blend from the Chianti DOCG t be labeled as such, traditionally allowing for Canaiolo, Trebbiano and Malvasia for the remainder, though more recently small proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot have been allowed. In Brunello di Montalcino the wine must be made entirely of Sangiovese. Prugnolo is Montepulciano's name for Sangiovese, and it is used there for the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano wines. In the DOC of Carmignano Sangiovese can be blended with 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. There are also Super Tuscans, IGT wines that blend Sangiovese with large proportions of Cabernet or Merlot. Elsewhere in Italy it is a workhorse grape, though it does find some success (though not the longevity) in the Montefalco and Torgiano wines of Umbria as well as the foundation of Rosso Piceno and a significant element of Rosso Conero from the Marches. Like Nebbiolo, Sangiovese has struggled to find footing outside of Italy, though in recent years California wineries have been having better fortune with grape plantings in the Sierra Foothills/El Dorado County, as well as Sonoma County and the Central Coast.

Country:

Italy

- Once named Enotria for its abundant vineyards, Italy (thanks to the ancient Greeks and Romans) has had an enormous impact on the wine world. From the shores of Italy, the Romans brought grapes and their winemaking techniques to North Africa, Spain and Portugal, Germany, France, the Danube Valley, the Middle East and even England. Modern Italy, which didn't actually exist as a country until the 1870s, once produced mainly simple, everyday wine. It wasn't until the 1970s that Italy began the change toward quality. The 1980s showed incredible efforts and a lot of experimentation. The 1990s marked the real jump in consistent quality, including excellence in many Region that had been indistinct for ages. The entire Italian peninsula is seeing a winemaking revolution and is now one of the most exciting wine Region in the world.

Sub-Region:

Tuscany

Organic: