Flaccianello della Pieve Fontodi 2010

Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve 2010 is a full-bodied red wine produced from organically farmed Sangiovese grapes on the Fontodi estate in Panzano, in the Chianti region of Tuscany. Certified organic in the vineyards and combining modern and traditional, low-intervention winemaking techniques in their modern, gravity-fed cellar, Fontodi has become a byword for consistent quality and terroir expression in Chianti Classico. Flaccianello della Pieve is made from a selection of the best grapes from the best parts of the Fontodi vineyards. On the 2010. "From an iconic vintage that gave generously to all grape varieties across almost all of Tuscany, this wine ranks high on the Fontodi billboard of greatest hits. The 2010 Flaccianello della Pieve is a rock solid wine that sits firm and begins to peel slowly, each delicate layer at a time. It puts on quite a show with a solid core of dark fruit followed by smoke, spice, tar, liquorice and delicate blue flower. On previous tastings of this vintage, I had scored it 97 and 97+ points, respectively. I`m going down one point at this sitting because the wine`s fibre has unravelled, ever so slightly, at the edges. It still maintains that solid core, but the wine has taken an important jump forward in its evolution these past three years. Evidently, it is currently in a phase of relaxation and unwinding. Beautifully polished notes of Mediterranean herb and dried mint appear on the long, glossy finish. Giovanni Manetti compares the 2010 vintage to 2006 but considers this vintage slightly more approachable overall." Wine Advocate, 2015