Fattoi, that is “first love is never forgotten”

 

 

In the wine’s world, as well as in everyday life, we can assert that “first love is never forgotten”.

It can take a long time, you can try (and love) dozens - maybe even hundreds - of other labels, it can even evolve our taste.

But the taste that opened to us the “enoic paradise”, the bottle that has changed our way of approaching wine cannot be forgotten, and it remains forever within us.

For me and my wife - this sort of initiation overlapped - several years ago - with the tasting of Rosso di Montalcino Fattoi, one of the most valid and interesting winery in the appellation.

And therefore, our small tour in Val d’Orcia and its surroundings could only end with them, here where it all began, as if to ideally close the circle.

We were welcomed by Lucia, the third generation of the winery, born with Ofelio (her grandfather) in the mid-1960s and later continued with his sons Leonardo and Lamberto.

The vineyards are all around the family farm, and are located on the southern area of the appellation, shortly after the church of Santa Restituta and close to important (and rated) other producers.

The winery now has about nine hectares of vineyards (of which almost seven are registered for Brunello), located at an altitude of about 300m above sea level, with a global production of about 50,000 bottles/year, spreaded between Toscana IGT, Rosso di Montalcino, Brunello “vintage” and Brunello Riserva.

The style of the wines is classic and traditional, respecting terroir’s character but at the same time with a distinctive trait (which I like to define rustic) to make them recognizable and highly appreciated.

Price/quality ratio of the labels is simply fantastic, among the best of the appellation, also due to the characteristics of the soil and the area, which allows them to produce wines of great quality even in the presence of not extreme yields (for example Brunello it is obtained - as a rule - with a yield of 80q/h, the maximum required by the specification, without for this being ever lacking in body and structure).

If I really have to find a defect, more than in (excellent) wines, I can attribute it to the poor marketing activity of the winery, due to a not yet full awareness - if not underrestimation - of the level reached, an aspect that ends however with the limit its appeal and commercial capacity.

Therefore, a cellar not easy to discover, but that once known it’s almost impossible to forget.

Certainly thanks to wines, always performing and never trival, that even this time have not disappointed my (high) expectations.

Rosso di Montalcino 2018 show us its integrity right from the ruby ​​color, with a nose marked by clear fruity note with a boisè background. In the mouth it expresses freshness, pleasantness and good overall balance, with a beautiful silky tannin that makes itself felt on the finish.

The 2015 Brunello, ruby ​​with garnet tendency, expresses the characteristic traits of this company on the nose, with notes of red fruit on a background of withered flowers and a sweet touch of vanilla. In the mouth it shows a freshness and a boost even higher than expected, with also a full tannin, even if on the whole it has yet to register a little.

The 2012 Brunello, already tasted on other occasions, really impressed me, proving - the best of the series. Intense garnet to the eye, elegant and harmonious on the nose, with delicate ethereal notes and sweet spices to accompany a still intact red fruit. Precise and extremely balanced in the mouth, with excellent freshness and a dense but fine tannin, which perfectly cleanses the palate accompanying it in the long finish.

Finally, the Brunello Riserva 2012 shows intensity already from the color, characterized by a nose of ripe fruit notes on a spicy background and with sweet references of vanilla. In the mouth it’s full and robust, with dense and marked tannins (following thew winery’s style) even if it’s a little bit monolithic. The quality is clear, but it still needs a few months in the bottle to fully express its potential.

Overall an excellent battery, which confirmed, if ever it were needed, the value of this winery, small in numbers but great in quality.