Small Group Tuscany Wine Tasting Safaris with Lunch / Dinner
Depart from Florence to eat and drink your way through Chianti, famous for red wines, cuisine, and stunning landscapes. Enjoy a Tuscan lunch or dinner and wine-tasting...
Structure
Drinking window
Latest scored vintage 2019: best 2024 to 2039.
vintage5 yrs20 yrs22 yrs
Critic scores
| Critic | Vintage | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Wine Advocate reviewed 2022 | 2019 | 96/100 |
| James Suckling reviewed 2022 | 2019 | 97/100 |
Scores as published by each critic for the vintage shown.
In the glass
Aroma: black cherry, violet, tobacco, sweet spice
Palate: dark cherry, graphite, cedar, Mediterranean herbs
The Mazzei flagship: 100 percent Sangiovese from six clones plus eight massal selections, with a forward black-cherry and graphite profile and firm structural backbone.
What it pairs with
-
Bistecca alla fiorentina
Find bistecca alla fiorentina on TableJourney →
The wine's firm tannin cuts the marbling; cedar and graphite mirror the charred crust. -
Wild boar stew with chestnut polenta
Game ragu and sweet chestnut meet the wine's dark-cherry and herbal core. -
Aged pecorino with mostarda
Sheep's-milk salinity sharpens the wine's lift; mostarda echoes the sweet-spice register.
How to serve Castello Fonterutoli Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Allow 95 minutes from open to pour.
- Open and decant. Open 90 minutes before serving and pour into a decanter to aerate.
- Serve at 16-18°C. Cellar temperature (16-18°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
- Glassware. Use a large Bordeaux-style glass: the bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
- Pair with. Bistecca alla fiorentina, Wild boar stew with chestnut polenta, Aged pecorino with mostarda. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.
History
Filippo and Francesco Mazzei launched Castello Fonterutoli in 1995 as the new top of the estate's Sangiovese pyramid. The wine became one of the forerunners of the Chianti Classico Gran Selezione category, formally created in 2014.
- 1435: Mazzei family acquires Fonterutoli
- 1995: First Castello Fonterutoli vintage
- 2014: Chianti Classico Gran Selezione tier launched; Castello Fonterutoli a forerunner
Facts
- Producer
- Marchesi Mazzei Castello di Fonterutoli · visiting guide
- Grapes
- Sangiovese (100%)
- Classification
- Chianti Classico DOCG Gran Selezione
- Oak
- 18 months in 500-litre French oak barrels, 50 percent new; four months in concrete tank before bottling
- ABV
- 14.5%
- Price
- EUR 60 to 100 at retail
- Drinking window
- 5 to 20 from vintage
- First vintage
- 1995
Frequently asked about Castello Fonterutoli Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
What does Castello Fonterutoli Chianti Classico Gran Selezione taste like?
On the nose, black cherry, violet, tobacco, sweet spice. On the palate, dark cherry, graphite, cedar, Mediterranean herbs. Structurally full-bodied, firm tannins, high acidity with a long finish. The Mazzei flagship: 100 percent Sangiovese from six clones plus eight massal selections, with a forward black-cherry and graphite profile and firm structural backbone.
When should I drink Castello Fonterutoli Chianti Classico Gran Selezione?
Drink 5 to 20 from vintage. Young vintages benefit from 30-90 minutes of decanting; mature bottles should be handled carefully for sediment.
What food pairs with Castello Fonterutoli Chianti Classico Gran Selezione?
Bistecca alla fiorentina is the canonical pairing. Other strong matches include Wild boar stew with chestnut polenta and Aged pecorino with mostarda. The wine's firm tannin cuts the marbling; cedar and graphite mirror the charred crust.
What grapes are in Castello Fonterutoli Chianti Classico Gran Selezione?
The blend is Sangiovese (100%). The wine is classified as Chianti Classico DOCG Gran Selezione.
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