Fontodi's 90 hectares of south-facing vineyards sit at 450 metres above sea level in the Conca d'Oro (the 'golden shell'), an amphitheatre-shaped valley to the south of Panzano. Well-draining 'Scaglia Toscana' soils are made up of a mixture of Galestro (clay schist) and Alberese (limestone) and encourage the vines to grow deep roots. The quality of the Sangiovese grapes from the Fontodi vineyards obviates the need for Merlot or other varieties as a remedial blender. After fermentation, the wine was racked into 225-litre French oak barriques, a mixture of Tronçais and Allier, where it underwent malolactic fermentation and remained for 18 months, it then spent an additional six months in second use barriques before bottling. Finally, the wine matured in bottle in the Fontodi cellars for six months before release. The Fontodi Chianti Classico is pure Sangiovese and deep ruby red in colour. On the nose, it has aromas of sour cherry and plums leading to notes of leather and tobacco. On the palate, it has great depth of flavour, with juicy fruit and supple tannins, giving way to a silky-smooth texture. It has a great structure and finishes with a fine mineral note. [#intro]Pure Sangiovese of outstanding quality, with great depth of flavour & silky-smooth texture...[/intro]