Fattorie Giannozzi Wines, Marcialla, Tuscany (22/9/2011)

Fattorie Giannozzi is a small family-owned and run Fattorie that can trace winemaking in a direct line since 1710.  Situated about halfway between Siena and Florence their vineyards lie in the district of Barberino Val d’Elsa which itself is just 2km from the edge of the Chianti Classico region.  The grapes here are grown without the use of fertilizers etc though they (sensibly) reserve the right to intervene when absolutely necessary.  There are 180 hectares in total with 35 hectares being vineyards. 

The ancient farmhouse (you can stay there is you wish) dates from the 16^th century, though Marcialla has grown to the extent that it now sits on the edge of the main square!  Two ancient olive presses lurk in the cellar alongside a selection of old agricultural tools displayed on the wall like instruments of torture. 

Instruments of torture?

Hidden in the corner is a small door leading to a treasure trove of old historic vintages on which several generations of spiders had woven their protective silky blanket; there are bottles here dating back several generations!

The "Library" at Fattorie Giannozzi

Our tasting here was done as part of a Tuscan meal and commenced with, unusually for Tuscany, a Chardonnay.  The 2010 Chardonnay from Fattorie Giannozzi is clean and fresh with a note of lemon and pear on its easy, attractive nose.  In the mouth it is apple-fresh and crisp with citrus acidity.  It’s not available in the UK however, and one can understand why when it would sell for around £11 – after all, you can buy decent Macon for that sort of money.

The 2009 Chianti Colli Fiorentini Villa Marcialla is 90% Sangiovese and 10% Merlot.  It is fermented in stainless steel and sees no oak.  The nose is all ripe cherry and damson with the damson and an attractive hint of grape skin astringency following through to the palate.  It really needs food to show it at its best.  The selection of proscuitto, salami, olives, breads and salads we ate with it certainly did the job well!

These wines worked better with food....

The 2007 Chianti Colli Fiorentini Riserva Villa Marcialla is also a 90/10 blend of Sangiovese and Merlot and sees 24-30 months in French oak (18, 20 and 25hl barrels though – not barriques).  Certainly there is evident oak on the nose though the ripe cherry and damson fruit still shows through.  The palate is rounder, fuller and more savoury than the 2009 straight Chianti, and the finish longer with lingering notes of vanilla.

Fattorie Giannozzi also make a straight Merlot and a straight Cabernet Sauvignon neither of which are brought into the UK; presumably for the same reason as the Chardonnay.  Both are sound wines though.  The 2006 Merlot has gentle round chocolate notes and is ripely fruity in the mouth.  It’s something of an international wine and, whilst sound enough, could almost come from anywhere which sort of misses the point when you’re in the middle of Italy.  The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon is very minty on the nose and actually tasted of spearmint leaves with fleshy blackcurrant fruit.  Again, it is sound enough and perfectly enjoyable, but something of a homeless wine.

Giannozzi’s Vin Santo di Chianti was super though.  Very intense and almost sherry-like in flavour it has a sweet nuttiness on the palate and a long powerful finish.

We can obtain the following wines from Fattorie Giannozzi should you be interested – please contact us for details:

2006 Villa Marcialla Chianti Colli Fiorentini  £9.95

2005 Villa Marcialla Chianti Colli Fiorentini  Riserva  £12.95

Vintages and prices correct as at 12^th October 2011 

Fattoria di Fugnano, San Gimignano, Tuscany

Up a steep, winding track to the west of the hilltop town of San Gimignano sits the Fattoria di Fugnano.  The estate was originally bought by the current owner’s grandfather who fell in love with the area and wanted a property here.  Back in those days Fugnano made acceptable bulk wine, but on the passing of her grandfather, and given her parent’s desire to sell up, Laura decided to leave her studies at university and take over the estate.  Her first vintage was 2002 and she has never looked back since!

Laura checking the grapes on their way to the crusher.

Today Fugnano has land of 200 hectares which are a mix of vineyards (26ha) olive groves and woodland.  The vines are mostly Sangiovese (red) and Vernaccia (white) though there is a sprinkling of other varieties including Merlot and Syrah.  The whole area is now a protected UNESCO site with considerable restrictions enforced on buildings and renovations.  The undulating hills provide various different microclimates all of which require separate management. Most vineyards sit at 350m above sea level. Wild boar inhabit the adjoining woodland and the vines are historically trained quite high out of their reach though nowadays the vines also have the protection of a small electric fence!

2011 has been a very hot year and the grapes ripened early.  Merlot and Syrah were the first to be picked, followed by the Vernaccia.  The younger, earlier-ripening, Sangiovese followed and finally the older Sangiovese grapes were picked.

The 2010 Vernaccia di San Gimignano is pale straw in colour and has a distinctive aromatic and slightly herbaceous nose.  It receives a long, slow fermentation which is followed by a short time in French oak to make the most of its flavour.  It is dry, gentle and subtle in the mouth.  I have to be honest and admit that Vernaccia tends to be a variety that I have struggled to like, producing what can be rather unremarkable dry white, but Fugnano’s is more concentrated and has a pleasantly “sappy” feel to it and a crisp, dry finish.  Its main problem is not in the quality of the wine, but rather in the wealth of competition that exists at its £10+ a bottle price level.



The towers of San Gimignano dominate the view from Fattoria di Fugnano

The 2008 Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva is darker in colour suggesting a higher degree of concentration and perhaps more oak.  The nose is a combination of herbs with a slightly resin-like edge.  It has more about it than the straight Vernaccia and, very briefly, my mind skipped to white Rioja.  The trouble is that as a variety Vernaccia seems to promise so much with its looks and nose which perhaps leaves one expecting more from the palate in return.  Fugnano have made a good job of these though.

The DOCG for red wines here is Chianti Colli Senesi and the 2009 Chianti Colli Senesi from Fattoria di Fugnano is garnet red in colour with a fresh cherry nose.  It is a blend of Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Trebbiano and Malvasia (very much the traditional Chianti blend though Chianti Classico does not permit the use of white varieties any longer).  In the mouth this is fresh and juicy without the game & leather notes so often associated with Sangiovese.  It is immediately approachable and has a ripe cherry character which makes it very drinkable!  At less that a tenner it’s cracking stuff.

Also tasted though not available in the UK:

2006 Toscana Rosso “Donna Gina”

Made from 100% Sangiovese this has a long maceration and is then aged in oak for 8 months.  Its colour is a clean ruby garnet red and there is a textbook Sangiovese nose with notes of violet.  In the mouth there are hints of ripe cherry and barely noticeable oak.

2006 Toscana Rosso “Legami”

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 20% Sangiovese.  This is much denser and darker with a mint-and-eucalyptus edge to the nose.  In the mouth it’s quite firm and rich but with obvious ripe hedgerow fruit and a dash of vanilla oak.  The tannins are well integrated but this could do with another year or so in bottle.

We can obtain the following wines from Fugnano should you be interested – please contact us for details:

2010 Vernaccia di San Gimignano  £10.75

2009 Chianti Colli Senesi  £9.75

Vintages and prices correct as at 13^th October 2011