Mazzei Concerto di Fonterutoli 2016

Concerto di Fonterutoli is one of the most influential Italian wines that shaped the Super Tuscan movement and created a global phenomenon in the 1980s.  From one of the premier families of the Chianti district, the Mazzei family, this stunning blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon is sure to captivate and impress with its perfect blend of power, finesse, and elegance.  Concerto di Fonterutoli was one of the leading wines to spearhead the Super Tuscan movement, influencing the quality of wine from the once maligned Chianti region and crowning it a leader on a global scale. 

The Mazzei family has a multi-generational relationship with wine and cultivating one of the indigenous varietals to the Chianti district, Sangiovese.  In fact, one of the first documented references to Chianti was penned by Ser Lapo Mazzei, the author of the first known document to use the Chianti denomination in 1398.  

Castello di Fonterutoli is a humble property that has been within the Mazzei family for over 26 generations.  One of the most noteworthy owners of the property was Philip Mazzei, a passionate grape-grower and intellectual.  Philip Mazzei worked in London as a wine merchant and befriended important historical figures like Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.  Philip mentored the late president Thomas Jefferson and taught him how to grow vines at his estate in Monticello.  Interestingly enough, it was Philip that inspired Thomas Jefferson with the idea, “All men are by nature equally free and independent,” which was later transformed into the phrase, “All men are created equal,” in the Declaration of Independence.  The property is currently overseen by Lapo Mazzei and his sons, Filippo and Francesco. Always being at the forefront of viticulture within the Chianti district, the Mazzei family were among the first to plant international varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  They would mix these international varietals with indigenous varietals, creating the fascinating blends that would be the leaders of the Super Tuscan phenomenon.  Concerto di Fonterutoli was one of the initial wines to lead the movement.

It took a lot of grit and determination to blend indigenous Sangiovese clones with international varietals.  Though wines like Concerto di Fonterutoli were adored by critics and consumers alike, the Italian wine legislation balked at the idea.  At the time, only indigenous varietals were allowed to be produced in classified wines, and Super Tuscans such as Concerto di Fonterutoli were demoted to the category of, “table wines.”  The Mazzei family knew that Concerto di Fonterutoli was a special wine and refused to be discouraged.  They persisted, and eventually Concerto di Fonterutoli and other prestigious wines within its class such as Solaia, Galatrona, and Orma, would force Italian wine legislation to recognize these wines with their own unique classification – IGT or Indicazione Geografica Tipica.

Concerto di Fonterutoli is a fabulous blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon, and the ratio depends on the year. The wine is vinified in concrete to preserve freshness and aged in oak barriques for added structure and ageability.

"The 2016 Concerto di Fonterutoli is 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 225-liter French oak for 18 months. The Cabernet Sauvignon element comes through nicely with dark fruit, spice and some grilled herb. The grape gives the wine a heavier and more concentrated center of gravity. However, the soul and style of the wine is driven by the freshness and delicate aromas of the Sangiovese. Production is 37,000 bottles." - Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate (9/19/2019), Ratings: 94, Drink: 2019-2035