2019 Felsina Berardenga Fontalloro Toscana Igt

Fattoria di Felsina has long been one of the great names in Tuscany, rooted in the Chianti Classico region since Domenico Poggiali bought the estate in 1966. Under the direction of Giuseppe Mazzocolin and later his son Giovanni, the family worked with legendary consultant Franco Bernabei to shape a development strategy that honored tradition — never chasing fashion, always focused on Sangiovese's pure expression.

Fontalloro is the estate's flagship IGT, first produced in 1983 and widely regarded as one of Italy's top Sangiovese-driven wines. Sourced entirely from vines in excess of fifty years of age across three top vineyards straddling the border between Chianti Classico and Colli Senesi, Fontalloro represents the most authentic expression of Felsina's terroir. Aged fifteen to eighteen months in small French oak barrels, it's a wine built for the long haul — or the table tonight.

The 2019 vintage delivers vibrant layers of black cherry, plum, and wild berry laced with notes of leather, tobacco, spice, and subtle earthiness. Firm yet polished tannins and balanced acidity create a refined structure, while the long, complex finish shows why critics awarded it scores from 93 to 96 points. Tim Heaton noted "a lovely twist to the balsamic-like sweetness juxtaposed to the earthy/truffle/soil notes," while James Suckling praised its "full-bodied, yet polished and structured" character, recommending cellar time to unlock its full potential.

Fontalloro is Sangiovese without compromise — the depth and elegance Tuscany built its reputation on, from old vines and a family that's been proving it since 1983. Open it tonight or cellar it for twenty years. Either way, you're holding one of the benchmarks.