Flaccianello della Pieve 2023

First bottled in 1981, when Chianti was mired in a crisis of overproduction and slipping quality, Flaccianello has long stood as Fontodi’s benchmark for pure Sangiovese. The 2023 Fontodi Flaccianello Sangiovese from Tuscany is drawn from 3 parcels at the crest of the hill, then aged 2 years in French oak, the first in small barrels of which one-third were new and the second in large puncheons. In the glass it shows a dense, glowing ruby-purple core with a bright crimson rim, and the nose is gloriously fragrant with ripe black cherry, marionberry, dried iris petals, mulled holiday spice, and a pinch of whole clove. Darker fruit gathers on the palate, joined by toasted walnut shell, cocoa powder, and a faint savory note of forest floor that hints at the tertiary complexity to come. Fine yet grippy tannins and moderate-plus acidity carry the full-bodied weight with remarkable control, so the wine feels powerful and elegant at once. 4000 cases.