About this wine
Vineyard and terroir
The estate’s 67 ha of vineyards lie in the Conca d’Oro valley, south of Panzano, at 380–400 m above sea level. The predominantly limestone and clay soils drain well and allow the vines to develop deep roots. Fontodi practises organic viticulture without chemical fertilizers.
Vinification
After harvest, the grapes are pressed and fermented under controlled temperatures. The wine remains in contact with the skins and seeds for eight months before being pressed and returned to Orsio, special conical amphorae made from Tuscan clay.
Ageing
The wine ages for a further 18 months in the Orsio amphorae.
Label / history
Dino was created in honour of the winery’s founder, Dino Manetti. The Manetti family, which is unrelated to the owners of Montevertine, produced Tuscan terracotta and other clay wares for several centuries before acquiring the Fontodi estate in Panzano in 1968.
The estate lies among the hills in the historic Chianti Classico area. Its name derives from the Latin “Fons-odi,” meaning “a place with plenty of water.” Grapes were cultivated there in Roman times, while sixteenth-century documents record winemaking with dedicated equipment at the “Case Via” farm. In 1998, Fontodi completed one of Tuscany’s first gravity-flow cellars, where wine moves between vessels without pumps. The estate is advised by oenologist Franco Bernabei.
