Castello di Fonterutoli

The vineyards of Castello di Fonterutoli are located in the Tuscan region of Chianti, about 5 kilometers south of Castellina. The elevation of the plots varies from 200 to 550 meters. This not only ensures favourable conditions, but also offers a phenomenal view of the city of Siena.

Castello di Fonterutoli is owned by the Mazzei family, who own several Italian wineries. Castello di Fonterutoli became part of the family in 1435, when granddaughter Madonna Smeralda Mazzei married Piero di Agnolo da Fonterutoli. Since then, 24 generations have already been at the helm of this magnificent winery.

Besides being the name of their most famous wine, Siepi is also the name of one of the best vineyards of Castello di Fonterutoli. This vineyard has a southern orientation and is located at 250 to 330 meters above sea level. The vines that are planted in this vineyard are Sangiovese, Merlot and for a small part Cabernet Sauvignon. The soil is characterized by the famous Alberese and Galestro soils. These soils consist of a combination of marl with lime or shale. That is why it is said that this is the perfect soil for Sangiovese. The Mazzei family was very progressive in the early 1980s with the planting of Merlot. They already knew then that Merlot would be an excellent addition to Sangiovese.

Siepi IGT is a blend of 50% Sangiovese and 50% Merlot. The age of the vines varies from 20 to 33 years. Both the Merlot and Sangiovese are picked by hand. The Merlot is harvested in mid-August and the Sangiovese follows one month later. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks. The wine is then aged for 18 months in 225-liter French oak barrels, of which 70% is new wood. Because Siepi does not consist of a minimum of 75% Sangiovese, the wine does not fall into the Chianti DOCG category, but is classified as Toscana IGT.

The location of the vineyard, the age of the vines, the unique soil, and the ideal blend all make for a very complex wine, in which elegance and robustness come together beautifully. Furthermore, Siepi has a storage potential of more than 20 years. In short, a very special wine!