Castello di Fonterutoli Winery

Castello DI Fonterutoli
Castello DI Fonterutoli Winery from Gourmet Food Plaza
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Castello DI Fonterutoli Winery Fonterutoli is situated on hills facing of the Elsa River valley, three miles to the south of Castellina in Chianti (Siena), Italy
Fonterutoli, owned by the Mazzei family since 1435, has been a medieval Tuscan village, a castle, a Chianti Classico and a "Vini da Tavola" range. The vineyards were started by one ancestor named Filippo Mazzei who was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. As a friend of Thomas Jefferson, he planted experimental vineyards on his Virginia estate. His namesake currently runs the estate, which experiments with clonal selection and development.

The property of the Mazzei family since 1435, Fonterutoli still preserves its original aspect of a tranquil country hamlet, consisting of a few houses, the Church of San Miniato and a villa that replaced the fortified castle of the Middle Ages.

The estate covers a total area of 470 hectares (1,161 acres), 69 hectares of which are devoted to vineyards divided into four separate production zones, Fonterutoli, Siepi, Badiola, and Belvedere, situated at altitudes ranging from 230 to 500 meters (755-1,640 feet). Exposure is to the south and southwest.

On the basis of those various factors, the estate has decided to hold production to less than 40 hectoliters per hectare (1056 U.S. gallons an acre) to ensure a consistently high level of quality. The excellent exposure

of the vineyards, an exceptional soil and microclimate, and planting densities, which have been progressively raised to over 6,000 vines per hectare (2,429-2,834 an acre), assure production of complex, elegant and imposing wines.

The Sangiovese grape, in particular, planted after rigorous clonal and mass selections aimed at a superior genetic quality, finds its ideal environment in the four production areas described and expresses all of its potential: ample aromas and elegance in the higher vineyards (Fonterutoli and Badiola), structure and power in the lower positions of Siepi and Belvedere. All the main viticultural operations - pruning, typing-up, selected leaf removal, bunch thinning- are carried out by hand. Harvesting is also totally done by hand, at a different times for each vineyard plot, in order to ensure maximum ripeness in the grapes which are brought to the cellar. The use of special, cone-shaped, stainless steel vats for fermentation gives excellent color extraction through regular punching down of the cap, extremely sweet and elegant tannins, and the preservation of all the aromatic components of the wine.

Once the first fermentation stage has been completed, the wines mature in small oak barrels in cellars located in the village, and complete their malolactic fermentation in barrel. All the various stages, from fermentation to oak aging, take place separately for each individual vineyard and grape variety, so as to ensure the widest possible range of characterization of the wines. Shortly after the final blend, the wines are bottled, and repose in the cellars for a few months before departing for the world's most important markets.

The personality of the Castello DI Fonterutoli wines has been perfected over the years through constant research and innovation in complete respect of the estate's culture, history, and accumulated technical experience.

The estate's olive cultivation should not be overlooked. Its grove, containing about 3,000 trees of the Frantoio, Leccino

and Moraiolo varieties, yield a Castello DI Fonterutoli Extra Virgin Olive Oil - a Chianti Classico DOP product - with a truly extraordinary finesse and personality. In addition, Carla Mazzei cultivates lavender at Fonterutoli and the plant's essence provides an attractive line of cosmetics that bears her name.

Fonterutoli is a well-structured and complex estate with a great character and tradition. It is generally regarded as one of the most important properties in the Chianti Classico zone and in Italy, an estate projected towards the future which is always seeking new quality frontiers. Because of its location, Fonterutoli represents an ideal jumping-off point for expeditions to explore the cultural and tourist attractions of the authentic Chianti Classico zone.

The History

Already known in the Etruscan period and afterward in the Roman epoch by the name "Fons Rutolae" and "Fons Rutilant" - the burbling spring the property was regarded by travelers as a place where they could rest and revive their energies along the route which linked linking Florence and Siena. It was there that Holy Roman Emperor Otto III disposed by deed of the Arezzo diocese's possessions in the district of Siena.

Peace treaties were signed at Fonterutoli in 1202 and 1208 and they resulted in the historic assignment of the Chianti zone to the control of the Republic of Florence.
However, there is a popular legend according to which the city governments of Florence and Siena, weary of the perennial warfare over the Chianti area, decided in the early years of the 13th century to draw the boundary between the two republics at the point where two riders met. The officials agreed that the riders would set out, one from Florence and the other from Siena, at first cockcrow on the appointed day. The Florentines chose a thin and starving black rooster which was constantly crowing from hunger. On the morning of the contest, Florence's rooster began to crow before the sun had even risen. The Florentine rider was therefore able to set out with such a substantial advantage that he and his rival met in the vicinity of Castello DI Fonterutoli, which is within sight of Siena.
Legend or history, Florence extended its boundary to Fonterutoli along the line of Castellina, Radda and Gaiole and established the Military and Administrative League of Chianti. The League's emblem was the black rooster.

The Vineyards

Siepi
Located at an altitude of approximately 250 meters above sea level in the township of Castellina in Chianti, on hills overlooking the valley of the river Elsa with a south/ southwestern exposure, the Siepi vineyards occupy a total surface of approximately 22 hectares ( 54 acres), 8.5 hectares of which are planted to Sangiovese and the remaining acreage to Merlot and Cabernet. The soil is characterized by a medium, tendentially clayey, texture mixed with grey and olivegreen marly limestone and calciferous sandstone. The unique exposure and attitude of the area, together with its singular microclimate, accelerate all phases of the vegetative cycle of the vine and the ripening of the grapes . In addition , the considerable temperature swings between the daytime and nighttime in August and September make this a unique area in terms of its viticultural potential and the quality of the product obtained.

Fonterutoli
Located five km south of Castellina in Chianti, this area represents, together with Siepi, the

historical production core of the farm with vineyards planted all around the hamlet of Fonterutoli. The vineyards are located at an average altitude of 420 meters above sea level and cover a surface of approximately 18 hectares (44.5 acres), three quarters of which are planted to Sangiovese and the remaining part to Merlot, which here takes on a unique character and personality. The soil, known as "alberese", is typical of the upper reaches of Chianti Classico with a classical structure of medium-textured stony limestone with a poor water retention capacity. The density of the vineyards ranges from 3,200 to 6,500 vines per hectare, according to the period when they were first planted, and the crops are typically cordon-trained and spur-pruned, as well as trained in the form of a Tuscan arched-cane. The unusual and variegated character of the soil and the microclimate of the area give grapes of a special character and exceptionally elegant wines with complex aromas and flavors.

Badiola
Positioned at an average altitude of 500 meters . above sea level and located in the township of Radda in Chianti at approximately three kilometers as the crow flies from Fonterutoli, this area consists of approximately 19 hectares (47 acres), half of which are planted to Merlot and the other half to Sangiovese. Here too, like in Fonterutoli, the soil is characterized by a medium textured and stone-rich limestone mixture. The high-density vineyards, trained with the Tuscan arched-cane system for Sangiovese and cordon-trained and spur-pruned for Merlot, are all exposed to the south. The area has slightly cooler temperatures compared to those previously described, due both to the altitude and to the specific microclimate, which give the grapes produced here a notably different aromatic character. The name of the area draws its origin from the presence of a small Romanesque-style abbey ("badia") built toward the end of the tenth century A.D. and now owned by the Mazzei family which faces one of the vineyards.

Belvedere
Situated in the township of Castelnuovo Berardenga, at approximately five kilometers as the crow flies from Fonterutoli, this area consists of a total surface of some ten hectares (25 acres), all planted to Sangiovese at an average altitude of 300 meter above sea level. The entire vineyard surface is typically "alberese", a white marly limestone; the upper soil layers are a medium limestone mixture and quite rocky. The vineyards, which have begun producing grapes only recently, are multi-clonal and their planting density ranges from 6,300 to 7,400 vines per hectare, trained in simple and bilateral spur-pruned cordons. Due to its specific pedoclimatic characteristics , this area has a strong potential for the production of high quality Sangiovese grapes both in terms of concentration and of color

The Wines

	CASTELLO DI FONTERUTOLI Chianti Classico DOCG 1999 This is Fonterutoli's flagship wine and it is the most representative of the estate's production. With its extraordinary combination of power and elegance, it interprets in the best possible way the property's capacity to produce red wines with outstanding personality and ample body. Made from Sangiovese and a small percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine, with its deep roots in the territory, is a reference point for the whole of Chianti Classico.

	FONTERUTOLI Chianti Classico DOCG 2000 Produced from Sangiovese grapes grown in vineyards with extremely different characteristics, this is the estate's second wine. It is remarkable for its complexity and elegance as well as its character, which perfectly displays the synergy of variety and terroir.

	SIEPI IGT Toscana 2000 Created from a blend of Sangiovese and Merlot grapes harvested in the Siepi vineyard, situated at an altitude of 260 m. (853 ft.) and benefiting from exceptional climatic and soil conditions. A highly concentrated wine with sweet and dense tannins, it displays a unique and original character that is appreciated by wine lovers throughout the world.

	POGGIO ALLA BADIOLA IGT Toscana 2001 Fonterutoli's petit vin, made primarily from Sangiovese grapes. The combination of aroma, softness and a good structure makes this wine an extremely modern, pleasant and gratifying beverage.

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