2012 Mazzei Castello di Fonterutoli Gran Selezione Chianti Classico

Limited & Tasted: 2012 Mazzei Castello di Fonterutoli Gran Selezione Chianti Classico DOCG

We just tasted the 2012 Mazzei Castello di Fonterutoli Gran Selezione Chianti Classico yesterday, and this vintage is simply awesome.  Of course, we offered another wine of Mazzei's, the 2017 Mazzei 'Siepi', a few weeks ago at one of our tastings which was also quite impressive. Many previous vintages of the Mazzei wines have been sold individually to our long-time Tuscan buyers because we only had a few cases of each to spread around.  Fortunately, we managed to gather the last of the 2012 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione. “Gran Selezione,” a relatively new designation, requires only estate grown fruit, stricter technical and sensory parameters and minimum 30 months aging. This “chateau” wine represents a culmination of the continual research of the diversity in the Fonterutoli estate vineyards, combining juice from 50 different vineyard parcels and 36 biotypes of Sangiovese.

This Chianti is a blend of 92% Sangiovese, 4% Malvasia Nera, and 4% Colorino. Deep ruby red in color. On the nose, complex aromas with notes of wild flowers, fresh black cherries, licorice, and a hint of vanilla. Well-structured palate, with fine tannins, firm acidity and a smooth, elegant finish.  Luca Gardini rated the 2012 Castello di Fonterutolo Gran Selezione Chianti Classico at 95 points and Wine Spectator rated it at 92 points which is pretty good considering WS is pushing out lower ratings these days. Please send in your requests today, and the wine will be available for pickup beginning of next week!

2012 Mazzei Castello di Fonterutoli Gran Selezione Chianti Classico DOCG:$78/BTL$65/BTL!

95 pts

Luca Gardini, Best Sommelier in the World 2010

"Soil of limestone and marl, with a pure soul of Sangiovese and other native varieties. Declicious and elegant aromas that alternate between Bulgarian rose, raspberry, and cocao. Vigorous sip and richly drinkable. Complexity of red fruit and sweet spices. Powdery tannins. (Long aging potential of 15+ years)."

93 pts

James Suckling

"Aromas of dried berry, chocolate and hazelnut follow through to a medium body, solid core of fruit and a fresh finish. Big and juicy. Drink now thru 2021."

Event Reminders

03/26/21: Gaja Wine Tasting6P.M.

$25/Person: Limited Seating Due to Social Distancing Requirements (Only 6 Seats Left!)Please call us to reserve your seats.

GAJA winery was founded by Giovanni Gaja in 1859. In 1961, Angelo Gaja (4th generation) began his mission of bringing this great winery to an even higher level. He was the first to use barriques, 225 liter French oak barrels. Under his direction, GAJA pioneered the production of single-vineyard designated wines and was the first to plant Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc varietals in Piedmont. He was also instrumental in elevating the native Nebbiolo grape to world-class esteem. Today, Angelo Gaja is joined by the 5th generation of the GAJA family – his daughters Gaia and Rosanna and his son Giovanni. Together they continue to advance the winery’s legacy. To fully realize their vision, all GAJA wines are produced exclusively from grapes grown in estate-owned vineyards, including 250 acres in Piedmont’s Barbaresco and Barolo districts as well as estates in Pieve Santa Restituta (Montalcino) and Ca’Marcanda (Bolgheri). It is from these storied vineyards, and their terrior – the combination of soil, weather, and vines that grow upon them, that GAJA wines reveal their true heart and soul..

The GAJA Ca’Marcanda estate was acquired by Angelo Gaja in 1996. This estate is located in the famous Bolgheri district in the commune of Castagneto Carducci. Ca’Marcanda is the Piedmontese term for “house of endless negotiations” and it refers to the many hours that Angelo Gaja spent convincing the previous property’s owners to sell the estate to him. He made 18 trips before they finally agreed to sell! Its hot summer days, cool nights, and brisk sea air create an ideal climate for international grape varieties like Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. On the estate’s land, two distinct types of soil offer versatility in terms of the terrior that attracted Gaja to the region. Promis, Magari and Camarcanda wines all reflect the unique nuances of their terrior. The white wine made that Ca’Marcanda is Vistamare – a blend of Vermentino and Viognier grown on their estate vineyards.

The Lineup:

• GAJA Ca’Marcanda Vistamare 2019 – The playful name of this wine was inspired by the Tuscan coast, and Vistamare literally means sea view. Vermentino and Viognier with a touch of Fiano.

• GAJA Ca’Marcanda Promis 2018 – The grapes for Promis are grown in the terre brune (rich dark soils) of the Ca’Marcanda vineyard. Merlot based, with Syrah and Sangiovese.

• GAJA Ca’Marcanda Magari 2018 – The word “Magari” has several meanings – “if only” “would that it were true” and “perhaps” This wine is Cabernet Franc based, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot.

• GAJA Ca’Marcanda Camarcanda 2017 – “House of endless negotiations”. The Camarcanda is Cabernet Sauvignon based, with a touch of Cabernet Franc rounding out the profile.

03/31/21: Champagne & Burgudy Tasting w/ArteVino6P.M.

$35/Person: Limited Seating Due to Social Distancing Requirements (Only 2 Seats Left!)Please call us to reserve your seats.

Come by TVP and taste wines from Arlaux, Capitain Gagnerot, and Bernard Defaix!

As early as 1320, the name Arlaux appeared in the margin of a document mentioning a transaction of the Abbey of Saint-Remi concerning the vinage (wine making) and the payment of the title. In 1792, the Royal Abbey of Saint-Remi was seized and sold as national property. Nicolas Arlaux then acquired the vineyards and lands that the family had already been cultivating for several centuries under the monks’ rule. However, it was not until 1826, one year after the coronation of Charles X, the last King of France that Jean Arlaux decided to produce his first bottles of sparkling wine. He had no idea of knowing that a century later, champagne would represent the totality of production, thus replacing the red and grey wines which had filled the coffers of the Abbey of Saint-Remi. For more than 15 generations the Arlaux family has passionately maintained the land that, in the 1950’s, Boris Vian the poet had called “the center of the world” (Le nombril du Monde)…a simple patch of vineyards plunging its roots into the depths of History.

The Domaine Gagnerot was established in 1802. In 1864 Marie, Jean-Baptiste’s unique daughter, marries François Capitain, wine trader, native of Champlitte. Together, Jean-Baptiste and François establish the Domaine Capitain-Gagnerot. After the phylloxera crisis which ravaged the Burgundian vineyard from the 1870s the the 1880s, Marie then widowed, decides to keep the domaine and to replant it vines. The succession is since made from father to son. After the Second World War, Roger Capitain inherits 3 hectares of vineyards and a wine trade. His two sons, Patrice and Michel, take over the domaine upon his retirement. Today, the domaine comprise 16 hectares of vineyards in full ownership, and it is Pierre-François and Delphine, Patrice’s children, who now oversee its destiny, supported by their spouses.

Fourth generation from a family of vine-growers, Bernard Defaix started with 2 ha in 1959. From this period, a method to protect the vineyard against spring frost was discovered. Thanks to this, the vine-growers could be sure to have a minimum of harvest every year and so they began to develop stable trade markets. The two sons of Bernard have been managing the domain since twenty years or so. Sylvain is in charge of the vinification, the ageing, the bottling and the preparation of orders. Didier takes care of the vineyard and the general management of the domain. Helene, Didier’s wife, looks after the administrative and the commercial part. The domain stretches over 27 hectares : Chablis Premier Cru (Côte de Lechet, Vaillons and Lys), Chablis and Petit Chablis. For many years yet, we have moved towards a sustainable and more ecological farming. Organic farming is the logical result of all this work.

The Lineup:

• Arlaux Brut Grande Cuvee, Champagne, France NV

• Arlaux Brut Speciale Reserve, Champagne, France NV

• Capitain Gagnerot Hautes-Cotes de Beaune "Les Guelottes", Burgundy, France 2016

• Capitain Gagnerot St. Romain "Au Bas Poillange", Burgundy, France 2016

• Bernard Defaix Les Hautes de Milly Chablis, Burgundy 2019

• Capitain Gagnerot Savigny-Les-Beaune 1er Cru "Les Charnieres", Burgundy, France 2017

• Capitain Gagnerot Eschezeaux Grand Cru, Burgundy, France 2015

New Events:

04/02/21: Wines of Campania & Tuscany With Vinaiocaprese6P.M.

$25/Person: Limited Seating Due to Social Distancing Requirements (16 Seats Left!)Please call us to reserve your seats.

We welcome back Luigi Maresca of Vinaiocaprese Imports as we are featuring six wines from his portfolio. The wines are from Pietracupa, Villa Le Prata, Sesta di Sopra, and Salicutti.

Pietracupa was founded in the early ‘90s thanks to Mr. Giuseppe Loffredo’s passion for wine. In 1999, Sabino, his son, decides to quit his job and dedicate his life to the winery with the same strong passion that his father once had. The vineyard, on the Prata P.U. area, is located at an altitude of 1,968 feet above sea level planted with 7 hectares of Fiano di Avellino, Greco di Tufo, and Aglianico. The soil is clayey and chalky. Each vine is between 10 and 30 years old. The plants enjoy a south-eastern exposure on the hillsides of this beautiful region. Thanks to their great location, they benefit from a microclimate with adequate temperature excursions particularly favorable for the ripening of the grapes. About 20,000 bottles are produced.

Villa Le Prata was built in 1860 by Count De’ Vecchi as a hunting lodge. Afterward it became the countryside home for the bishop of Montalcino. In 1980 Massimo Losappio, chief surgeon of Montalcino hospital and his wife Marialuce, a philosophy teacher, purchased the Villa and, driven by their passion for wine and the pleasure to share with their friends the fruits of this generous land, planted the first hectare of vineyard near the Villa. Later on, with the absolute desire to enclose in a single bottle the most authentic atmosphere of the Montalcino terroir, two other vineyards were planted in the area of Castelnuovo dell’Abate. Their three vineyards, located in three different areas, make the perfect combination of elegance, aromas conveyed by altitude, and the body and structure of the land south of Montalcino.

Sesta di Sopra has a 44-hectare estate southwest of Montalcino and about four kilometers from Castelnuovo dell’Situated in Abate. It was acquired by the Spina family in 1980. The main house, believed to be an old lookout tower, was renovated before a two-hectare area covered with olive trees was built. After that, vines were planted on a further two hectares of land. In less than ten years, Sesta di Sopra has become a leading Brunello producer. The first vintage of aristocratic wine was pressed in 1999.

The Salicutti winegrowing estate, owned by legendary Munich restaurateurs Felix and Sabine Eichbauer of Tantris fame, is a place of untamed beauty located in the southeastern corner of Montalcino. The precise history of the property, which lies roughly two hours from Florence, have been lost to the mists of time, but at least the origins of its name are clear: it refers to the stream that marks the estate’s southern boundary. Certainly few would have expected this patch of land to become a cradle for grand terroir when Francesco Leanza first tilled it almost 30 years ago. The estate house and cantina now form the heart of an enclosed 11-hectare cosmos, including 4.5 hectares of vines, an olive plantation and forest. “The land preceded us; it now nourishes our vines, and it will be here when we are gone,” Sabine and Felix Eichbauer affirm — a mantra that encapsulates their abiding respect for nature and its creatures and their growing concern about the impact of humans and the technology of culture.

The Lineup:

• Pietracupa Fiano di Avellino DOCG, Campania, Italy 2018

• Pietracupa Greco di Tufo DOCG, Campania, Italy 2018

• Villa Le Prata Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany, Italy 2015

• Sesta di Sopra Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy 2018

• Sesta di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany, Italy 2015

• Salicutti 'Piaggone' Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany, Italy 2015

• Salicutti 'Teatro' Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany, Italy 2015

Cheers!The Vine PostStore: 561-935-1720Cell: 561-346-8956[email protected]