1987 Flaccianello della Pieve
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Tasting notes
The 1987 Flaccianello della Pieve makes a strong showing, but it is ultimately a wine that proves easier to read (compared to some of the more intricate and labyrinthine vintages before it). It is also more monolithic and inflexible at this stage in its life, and this points to the challenges of the vintage. Giovanni Manetti remembers 1987 as difficult vintage to manage because of badly timed rain showers that made harvest difficult to navigate. The results are very interesting because the wine offers more immediate firmness and structural fiber that becomes more tightly coiled at the mid-way point and ultimately culminates in a feather light and compact finish. In other words, it goes from thick to thin in a quick shuffle. Bolstered by that ever-present acidity, it also delivers dusty flavors of dried fruit, smoke, crushed mineral and camphor ash. I am charmed by this 1987 Flaccianello.
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The 1987 Flaccianello della Pieve is striking. It is also the first wine in this tasting that shows the trademark Flaccianello style, albeit in slightly laid back interpretation. The 1987, from a cool, rainy year, has aged exceptionally well. The aromatics are beautifully delineated, while the fruit remains silky and super refined. As delicious as this is, the 1987 impresses for its superb sense of harmony, which is truly remarkable considering the less than ideal growing conditions that year. This is an especially sexy Flaccianello.
About the producer
Based just outside Panzano-in-Chianti, Chianti Classico estate Fontodi was acquired by the Manettis in 1968, a family which has established its modern reputation. Today the leading property is best known for its Flaccianello delle Pieve, the pure Sangiovese Super Tuscan first made in 1981.