2022 Le Fonti Chianti Classico

Its Origins

Vicky Schmitt and Guido Vitali have run this small estate in Panzano since 1994. Le Fonti is a boutique winery producing only about 40-50,000 bottles a year. Halfway between Florence and Siena, in the heart of the Chianti Classico region, lies the small village of Panzano, home of the most famed wines in Chianti. Just below the village church, at 450 m above sea level, is the Fattoria Le Fonti. It extends over 15 hectares with just 9 hectares of vineyards, and the rest olive groves. Most of the vineyards are north facing, basically the opposite exposure of Panzano’s fabled Conca d’Oro. These were once considered less-favored sites, but climate change has changed perceptions about what is favorable and not. Biodynamic farming and low intervention winemaking are the rule here. From the harvest to the final blend, they depend on family manpower and sophisticated taste. All vineyards have been replanted since 1994, taking great care to select the right type of plants with the correct rootstock. The also renovated and extended the cellars. These are wines that really stand out thanks to their superb price-to-quality ratio.