As is tradition, Marchesi Francesco Mazzei visited Stockholm this spring. He brought his good friend Dario Ceccini, the so-called “world’s best butcher”. He orated as usual and made his show in the sign of the big piece of meat, a “bistecca alla fiorentina” of over 1 kg!
The Mazzei family has been active at their main property Castello Di Fonterutoli since 1435. More recently they have expanded operations with Belguardo in Maremma and Zisola in Sicily.
Today, Francesco wanted to show some older vintages of the company’s “second label” Fonterutoli, and two new wines on the Swedish market, a rosé wine and Concerto Di Fonterutoli, launched in 1981 that together with Siepi are the company’s two prestige cuvées of super Tuscan style.
Belguardo Rosé 2016 Tuscany IGT
50% sangiovese, 50% syrah.
Medium-sized fresh nose with elements of raspberry, minerals and red currant, the taste is light, fresh and with berry-like fruit with some raspberry fruit. It is given three months on the lees in steel tank. ~ 13 euro.
Fonterutoli 2015 Chianti Classico DOCG
90% sangiovese, 10% malvasia nera, colorino and merlot, 12 months in French oak barrels of 225 and 500 litres (of which 40% new).
Big young and spicy red-fruity nose, with elements of violets, floral; Soft, medium and red-fruity taste with light cherry tones and elegance. Very good vintage in Tuscany. ~ 16 euro.
Fonterutoli 2009 Chianti Classico DOCG
Same grape blend as 2015, but only 225 litres barrels were used.
Pretty mature aroma, with red berries and some spice, quite mature red-fruity taste, with some tannins and some acidity. ~22 euro.
Fonterutoli 2007 Chianti Classico DOCG
90% sangiovese, 5% malvasia nera, colorino and 5% merlot, 12 months in 225-liter French oak barrels (of which 40% new).
Fairly mature, slightly closed, lots of berries; ripe, hints of begging to be dried-out with some spice and smoke. ~22 euro.
Fonterutoli 1997 Chianti Classico DOCG
100% sangiovese, parts of the wine were aged in 225-liter French oak barrels for 10 months (of which 30% were new).
Pretty big ripe nose, with elements of forest floor leaves and mushrooms; Ripe, quite full, dry, slightly dried-out, with some smokiness and tannins. 1997 was a top year in Tuscany. ~27 euro.
Concerto Di Fonterutoli 2013 Tuscany IGT
80% sangiovese, 20% cabernet sauvignon, 18 months on 225-liter French oak barrels (of which 7% new).
Big nose, with elements of ripe plum, red fruit, violets and toasted barrels, the flavour is rich, concentrated, red-fruity, with some menthol, barrels and spicy flavour. ~55 euro.
Concerto Di Fonterutoli 1990 Tuscany IGT
80% sangiovese, 20% cabernet sauvignon, 16 months on 225-liter French oak barrels.
Large, mature, elegant nose, with elements of old autumn leaves and some notes of barrels, the taste is quite full, ripe, slightly burned with some barrels and spices. 1990 was an excellent vintage in all of Europe. ~70 euro.
This was an interesting tasting, with a big differences in age. Some of the wines felt a little old, all wines had been decanted 2 hours before the tasting, which may be have been a pity for the older wines. It is probably better to let the development take place in the glass.
Roland Eriksson writes on BKWine Magazine on wine tastings with wine merchants and importers in Sweden. Roland is the author of a book on cognac (A Handbook: Cognac, 2007, published in Swedish) and one on rum as well as one on tea.
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