Tenuta Fanti

Castelnuovo dell'Abate is located at the southern tip of Montalcino – right next to the Romanesque Abbey of Sant'Antimo, one of the most important ecclesiastical monuments in Tuscany. The Fanti family has lived here for generations. When the Sant'Antimo DOC was founded in 1996, Filippo and Elisa Fanti were involved from the very beginning – out of a close bond with this place, its soil and its history. Sassomagno, named after the stony, rocky character of the terroir – is their most personal commitment to this region: a Tuscan blend of Sangiovese, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, which shows the versatility of Montalcino's southern location in an accessible, easy-drinking form.

Filippo, Elisa and Elena Fanti live and work in Castelnuovo dell'Abate, the village below the Romanesque abbey of Sant'Antimo, in southern Montalcino, where the family has been rooted for generations. Their Brunello is one of the most reliable addresses in the appellation. Their Rosso is what a Rosso di Montalcino should be: the same care, the same terroir, more accessible in its timing. 15 hectares of Sangiovese, registered for the Rosso, vines between 15 and 20 years old. Hand-picked in September and October, depending on location and exposure. Three sorting tables – grapes and individual berries are selected separately. Temperature-controlled fermentation and mash contact in stainless steel tanks with regular pumping over, malolactic fermentation before ageing in wood. Around 12 months partly in French barriques, partly in medium-sized barrels.

Fanti's Brunello di Montalcino 2020 is delicately flavoured, haunting floral and seductive from the first swirl of the glass. A hint of icing sugar gives way to bright cherries, candied oranges, mint leaves and lavender, creating an extrovert yet delicious picture. In the mouth, it is seamless and silky, with a subtle hint of citrus and vibrant acids introducing ripe red notes of black berries with herbs. Rounded tannins emerge on the finish with hints of liquorice and violets. As always, very well made. SUPERIORE.DE

In 1980, Filippo Fanti bottled his first Brunello. He had taken over the estate in the early 1970s, replanted the vineyards, studied the soil plot by plot – and then waited for the first harvest he deemed worthy. This first vintage was no trial run. It was a declaration of intent. Since then, Tenuta Fanti has not missed a single vintage. Castelnuovo dell'Abate is the southernmost sub-region of Montalcino – closer to the sea, warmer and more Mediterranean than the northern vineyards, watched over by the Abbey of Sant'Antimo, a silent witness to centuries of history. Fanti owns 10 hectares of Sangiovese here, spread across various hillside plots at altitudes between 350 and 430 metres above sea level. Slate, galestro, clay, tuff – the soils vary from plot to plot, giving the Brunello that complexity which has always characterised the estate. Elisa Fanti, who joined the team in 2007, has fine-tuned the style: less intrusive oak, clearer fruit, greater transparency. 2021 was a year of great harmony in Montalcino: consistent ripeness, pronounced structure, elegant tannins.

Produced in small quantities, Vallocchio clearly stands out from pure Brunello di Montalcino. Darker, deeper and more mystical, it shows notes of ripe blackberries and plums, complemented by exotic brown spices and a hint of lemon confit. Its texture is like velvet stretching across the palate, black-fruited and ripe, underpinned by minerals and cooling herbal notes. It is youthfully monolithic and dense, revealing its austere tannin core only towards the end, where notes of black tea, liquorice and a hint of cocoa emerge. SUPERIORE.DE

In the early 14th century, a document from Castelnuovo dell'Abate mentions a place name: "Vallocchio Brunello" – situated between the fields known as "Podio Rubeo" and "Piage di Monte Caprile". This is the earliest documented reference to viticulture in this municipality. Seven centuries later, the five oldest vineyards of Tenuta Fanti stand on precisely this land. History has never ceased here. Filippo Fanti has studied, tended and observed this terroir for decades. In 2010, the time had come – the first Vallocchio. Since then, it has been released only in exceptional vintages: no pressure, no annual promise, but a selective statement of what the site truly has to offer in a particular season. Five hectares, vines aged between 20 and 35 years, well-drained, medium-textured galestro soils at an altitude of 230 to 250 metres above sea level. Hand-harvested from the second half of September until mid-October, depending on the aspect and plot.

Traditionally vinified, its intense ruby red colour, the fruity aroma with spicy and balsamic notes and its gentle start on the palate, which builds furiously, are impressive. The high-class tannin structure rests between the soft components, so that this Brunello from the dream year 2019 simultaneously demonstrates elegance and strength without appearing too modern. SUPERIORE.DE

Produced in small quantities, Vallocchio clearly stands out from pure Brunello di Montalcino. Darker, deeper and more mystical, it shows notes of ripe blackberries and plums, complemented by exotic brown spices and a hint of lemon confit. Its texture is like velvet stretching across the palate, black-fruited and ripe, underpinned by minerals and cooling herbal notes. It is youthfully monolithic and dense, revealing its austere tannin core only towards the end, where notes of black tea, liquorice and a hint of cocoa emerge. SUPERIORE.DE