2019 Fontodi Terrazze San Leolino Gran Selezione Chianti Classico

The 2019 Fontodi Terrazze San Leolino Gran Selezione Chianti Classico is a striking new single-vineyard expression from one of Tuscany’s most admired estates. Sourced from the historic San Leolino terraces—recognized locally as a cru site for over 200 years—it offers a refined, terroir-driven take on Sangiovese. Sitting stylistically between Fontodi’s Flaccianello and Vigna del Sorbo, it delivers impressive depth and complexity while remaining surprisingly approachable in its youth.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, this Gran Selezione shows a vibrant, deep ruby color with luminous clarity and a hint of garnet at the rim. The nose is layered and precise, opening with earthy, stony and mineral nuances, followed by rose petals, wild herbs, red cherry, and a subtle savory spice. On the palate, it is elegant yet firmly structured, with pure flavors of red cherry, wild strawberry, and blood orange woven through notes of crushed stone and a distinctive saline, spicy finish. The tannins are very fine-grained and silky but clearly present, giving the wine shape and age-worthiness without feeling austere. Fresh, vivid acidity keeps everything lively and long. While already very accessible for a Gran Selezione, it will reward patience; expect it to evolve gracefully over 10–15 years, gaining further complexity and textural polish.

Production
Terrazze San Leolino comes from meticulously restored stone terraces situated around 450 meters above sea level in Panzano, at the heart of Chianti Classico. Unlike Fontodi’s famous Vigna del Sorbo—dominated by Galestro schist—the soils here are more calcareous (limestone-rich), contributing lifted aromatics, tension, and a distinctly mineral profile. The vines are organically farmed and harvested by hand, ensuring only perfectly ripe Sangiovese clusters are selected. In the cellar, the wine is vinified with great care to preserve purity of fruit and terroir expression, with a controlled fermentation and a measured maceration on the skins for structure. It is then aged in carefully chosen oak (predominantly large casks and/or used barriques) to refine the tannins and add subtle complexity without overwhelming the wine’s inherent elegance.

Food & Serving
This Chianti Classico Gran Selezione is a natural partner for refined Tuscan cuisine and dishes that echo its earthy, mineral profile. Think bistecca alla fiorentina, lamb chops with rosemary, braised veal shank, or game birds, as well as porcini risotto, truffle pasta, and aged Pecorino Toscano. Serve at 16–18°C (around 60–64°F) for optimal expression of aromatics and structure. Young bottles will benefit from 1–2 hours of decanting to open up the floral and mineral notes; as it matures, a gentle splash decant is usually enough to separate any sediment and allow the wine to fully bloom.

Producer
Fontodi is one of the leading estates in Chianti Classico, located in the famed Conca d’Oro amphitheatre of Panzano, an area long prized for producing some of the region’s finest Sangiovese. Family-owned and farmed organically, the estate has been instrumental in elevating Chianti Classico’s reputation on the world stage. Known for benchmark wines such as Flaccianello della Pieve and Vigna del Sorbo, Fontodi combines meticulous vineyard work with a sensitive, terroir-focused approach in the cellar. The introduction of Terrazze San Leolino adds another important single-vineyard to their lineup, highlighting a historic cru site and further cementing Fontodi’s role as a reference point for sophisticated, age-worthy Tuscan reds.

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