Questo vino
Vineyard and terroir
Fontodi’s 67 ha of vineyards lie in the Conca d’Oro valley, south of Panzano, at 380–400 m above sea level. The soils are predominantly limestone-rich clay, with good drainage that enables the roots to grow deeply and absorb minerals used in vine metabolism.
Vinification
The grapes are harvested in early October into 5 kg crates, then dried until February or early March in a specially ventilated room. After gentle pressing, the must is transferred to small oak caratelli, which are smaller than French barriques. Natural temperature variations cause fermentation to stop and restart over a period of up to five years.
Ageing
The wine ages in the caratelli alongside the intermittent fermentation for at least five years.
Tasting profile
Concentrated.
Label / history
The name Fontodi derives from the Latin “Fons - odi”, meaning “a place with plenty of water”. Grapes have been cultivated here since Roman times. Sixteenth-century documents record winemaking with dedicated equipment at the Case Via farm.
For several centuries, the Manetti family—who share their surname with the owners of Montevertine—made Tuscan terracotta and other clay products. They acquired the Panzano estate in 1968. In 1998, they completed one of Tuscany’s first gravity-flow cellars, arranging equipment on different levels so that wine could move between vessels by gravity instead of pumps, which were believed to risk damaging it. Oenologist Franco Bernabei advises Fontodi.
