Fontodi "Case Via" Syrah IGT 2018
(Tuscany, Italy) - [JS 95] [WA 93] [WC 93] [VM 92] [FS 92]

About the Producer:
Fontodi is located in the heart of the Chianti Classico. More precisely in the valley that opens south of the town of Panzano called "Conca d'oro". A terroir renowned for centuries for its vocation for quality viticulture. This is due to the unique combination of high altitude, marly soils, great brightness and a fantastic microclimate, warm, dry and with a wide temperature range.

All Fontodi wines are produced from grapes from their own vineyards, harvested by hand, carefully chosen and vinified in a way that enhances the character of the vines and the territory.

Tasting Notes:
Intense ruby red to the eye, sometimes impenetrable. Powerful and penetrating on the nose, characterized by nuances of ripe dark fruit, hints of violet and spicy tones of black pepper, typical of the varietal. Nuances of coffee and bitter cocoa complete the bouquet. Full and warm in the mouth, it is silky in the tannic texture, pleasantly spicy and well balanced. Excellent persistence and balsamic closure.

Technical Information

Appellation: Colli Toscana Centrale IGT
Grapes: Syrah
Vineyards: Case Via and Pecille with a south exposure
Density: 4.000 and 6.000 vines per hectar
Training: Guyot
Fermentation: In temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts for 3 weeks
Ageing: In Troncais and Allier barrels, 50% new, for 12 months
420 cases made, 85 cases imported.

About the Wine:
A long aging Syrah, ready to be enjoyed right now, but also capable of giving wonderful evolutions if left to further refine in the bottle. In the hills of central Tuscany, the Fontodi winery cultivates the grapes from which it obtains the “Case Via”, a Syrah that rests for 18 months in oak barrels. It is a wine with a strong personality, which does not hide its most typical traits. Pulpy and rich, it is a Syrah that is well suited to consistent and tasty land cuisine.

Ratings & Reviews

95 Points - James Suckling:
"Black fruit, soy sauce, spices and dried herbs on the nose. It’s full-bodied with firm tannins. Structured and racy. Juicy and smoky with a flavorful, tannic finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink in 2024 when the tannins will have softened slightly." (May 2021)

93 Points - Wine Advocate:
"With a mere 3,000 bottles made, the organic Fontodi 2018 Syrah Case Via is ripe, concentrated and extremely savory in terms of its aromas. This vintage reveals loads of bacon fat and musky leather that you often get with Syrah in the warmest growing seasons. Chewing tobacco, riding boots, potting soil and dark fruit all rise heavily from the bouquet. The wine ages in French barrique for 20 months. There are two sides to the mouthfeel: Although it is moderate in length, the wine shows lots of soft texture on the mid-palate." - Monica Larner (Oct 2021)

93 Points - WinesCritic.com:
"Deep and decidedly floral, it takes on different shades and offers beauty in notes of lavender, hibiscus, passionflower, wild violet and hyacinth. In the background there is more in the notes of mandarin and lime peel. Full body, biting tannins of remarkable character and tension, and a finish of medium-long progression." -Raffaele Vecchione (Oct 2021)

92 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2018 Syrah Case Via is ample and generous in the glass. Super-ripe blackberry, chocolate, spice, leather and cloves fill out the layers effortlessly. This deep, fleshy Syrah has much to offer. The 2018 was done with fully destemmed fruit and spent 18 months in French oak, 30% new. Drink it over the next 10-12 years." - Antonio Galloni (Sep 2021)

92 Points - Falstaff:
"Dark ruby red with a drop of purple. Still considerably reductive on the nose, needs an enormous amount of time to emerge from the glass, then notes of ripe plum and violet, delicate ink. Very full-bodied on the palate, with dark fruit and a lot of texture, full-bodied, currently still very young, needs time." (Feb 2022)