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Tasting at Fèlsina & Fonterutoli
Fèlsina & Fonterutoli
This update relates to wines tasted in July 2011.
For more on these estates, including all my relevant tasting notes, see my Fèlsina & Fonterutoli profiles.
In my recently published A Day Out in Chianti Country, part of my Tuscany Wine Guide, I gave some account of what it was like to set out as a tourist in Tuscany, calling in unannounced at two of the region's top wine estates, Fattoria di Fèlsina and Castello di Fonterutoli. It was not an entirely successful endeavour, as I have already explained in the aforementioned article. I will not go into why this was so again in any depth here, as my aim in this article is to provide some report on the wines I tasted, rather than the experience of the visit itself. Nevertheless, even if I wanted to avoid mention of my disappointment altogether it would not be possible, as it is necessary to explain the paucity of wines tasted at Fonterutoli.
Fattoria di Fèlsina
My first port of call was at Fattoria di Fèlsina, and here I tasted right through the range, starting with the white wines. I was fairly taken with the 2009 Pepestrino, as for a blend which is 70% Trebbiano - a variety with a rather dull, pedestrian reputation - this had good life and lift. Certainly more so than the over-ripe, over-oaked and blowsy 2007 I Sistro which I did not enjoy at all. I also found the 2008 Chianti Classico lacked appeal, a consequence of its unfortunately soft, tired, balsamic- and caramel-tinged fruit. Looking at my note from a previous tasting in February 2011, I wonder if this most recent sample was in appropriate condition?
Happily the upper tier reds were more interesting, and in at least one case significantly more successful as well. This was the 2007 Chianti Classico Riserva Rància, which came like a breath of fresh air after the aforementioned two wines. And this was also the high point of the tasting, as although the subsequent 2006 Maestro Raro was of very drinkable quality (even if carrying some rather domineering tannins) and the rather more mature 2004 Fontalloro showed some interesting character, both were some way behind the Rància in terms of pleasure and harmony.
Castello di Fonterutoli
After this really quite positive experience at Fèlsina (near Castelnuovo Berardenga) came a very brief visit to Castello di Fonterutoli (near Castellina in Chianti, some way to the north). Sadly, this was perhaps the most unproductive wine tasting episode I have ever experienced, and as a result I feel unable to comment on the wines tasted there. As I noted in my brief introduction I have given more details on this in my article on A Day Out in Chianti Country, so I shall not expand in great detail here; suffice to say that the very inflexible selection of wines available for tasting were served at excessively warm temperatures. This was true of all three wines poured for me, which were the 2005, 2006 and 2007 vintages of the flagship Castello di Fonterutoli, and no useful comments on these samples could be made. Nevertheless I have included a note on one vintage, the 2007, which I purchased at the domaine and then poured later, at my villa, at a more appropriate temperature of course. (12/10/11)
Fèlsina & Fonterutoli - Tasting Notes
Tasted in July 2011. Click
to locate stockists.
Fattoria di Fèlsina Pepestrino
Bianco di Toscana IGT 2009: This is a blend dominated by Trebbiano,
accounting for 70%, with 15% each Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, the fruit from
Pagliarese, north of Fèlsina. Fermented in stainless steel. Fresh and lively on
the nose, with clean fruit, this has an appealing lift. The palate has a fresh
and pithy fruit character, with an attractively bitter streak. A moderate
weight, defined, straightforward but I like the definition and this is
undoubtedly fine for warm weather drinking. Alcohol 13%. 15/20
Fattoria di Fèlsina I Sistro Bianco di Toscana
IGT 2007: This is 100% Chardonnay, fermented in new oak, with a
subsequent élevage between 6 and 8 months, also in new oak. The nose
certainly has a 'fat' feel to it, with plenty of barrel-ferment character and
super-ripe fruit, moving through the tropical fruit spectrum into over-ripe,
toffee-tinged melon. In the mouth it is unsurprisingly soft and fat, the acidity
there insufficient for my palate, unable to cope with the weighty,
glycerine-oiliness. One for lovers of fat and oaky wines. 13/20
Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico 2008: This
is 100% Sangiovese from vines of at least 50 years of age in the commune of
Castelnuovo Berardenga. Fermented at 28-30ºC with punch-down, followed by small
and medium-sized oak barrels for 12 months. This looks tired in the glass already, and the aromatic profile
matches my first impression, being full of balsamic notes and caramel sur-maturité.
The palate holds no surprises, with plenty of grippy tannins and low acidity,
but as the nose suggested it lacks fruit freshness and definition. This is not
in a good place right now; looking at my note from a previous tasting in
February 2011, I wonder if this sample just isn't a little tired. 13.5/20
Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva
Rància 2007: This is 100% Sangiovese from the Rància vineyard, and it has
seen out between 18 and 22 months in oak. The fruit has a polished feel
aromatically, with an overlay of oak, showing a creamy, plum-liqueur character
tinged with black olive. It still seems very youthful and primary, sweet and
ripe, but it certainly holds lots of promise I think. The palate is supple and
yet substantial, polished, with plenty of grippy, powerful tannins. There is
some firm acidity which dominates here and through in to the finish, where the
tannins show a smoothly textured quality. A wine with really great potential I
think. 17.5/20
Fattoria di Fèlsina Fontalloro
Toscana IGT 2004: This is also 100% Sangiovese, the major difference
here being the soils, as some fruit comes from clay terroirs outside the Chianti
Classico zone which is of course dominated by galestro and albarese.
There is certainly evidence of evolution here, in keeping with the wine's seven
years. There are some notes of mature, autumnal, stewed black olives, along with
some soft, rather gentle, rather rounded-off fruit. The same style comes through
on the palate, bringing a rather diffuse impression. It has a rather gentle
style. There are some attractive elements here but overall this lacks weight and
definition. 14.5/20
Fattoria di Fèlsina Maestro Raro
Toscana IGT 2006: This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Maestro Raro and
Il Poggiolo vineyards, fermented in
stainless steel, followed by élevage in new oak. On inspection it has a
dark, dense and rather matt hue. Aromatically I find it really rather appealing,
quite distinct from the Sangiovese wines and yet not immediately typical of
Cabernet Sauvignon either. There are scents of black olive, dark fruit skins,
plum and smoky black cherry especially, but all with a bitter bite rather than
fruit sweetness. The palate also has some soft, bitter, olive-based fruit
suggestions, is certainly fleshy, but underneath there is a very firm tannic
grip. Unfortunately these tannins do seem to completely dominate the latter
moments of the palate, lasting right through the finish and clinging on for dear
life long after any suggestions of fruit have long faded. Nevertheless, there
are elements here worthy of praise. Alcohol 14.5%. 15.5/20
Castello di Fonterutoli Chianti Classico Riserva 2007:
A first taste served ridiculously warm at the estate was soft and blowsy as a
result, and thus unworthy of comment. This bottle, served later by me was poured
at the correct temperature. There is exuberant fruit on the nose, rather plump
and berry-like in character, very primary with notes of black olive and also
some vanilla on top. Rich, cool, fleshy, very dense on the palate, cut through
by great acidity which was certainly not apparent when I tasted at Fonterutoli.
It is savoury and broad, fresh and quite grippy, with a good ripeness to the
tannins. With a rather firm structure and good fruit this is certainly set to
cellar well. 17.5/20
