Fongoli - Montefalco Rosso 2019

Angelo Fongoli is the fourth generation to be making wine at the Fongoli family estate. Since the early 2010’s, Angelo has taken the estate--that was, of course, until the eighties a poly-cultural farm using conventional systemic viticulture, then moved towards an almost monoculture farm--back to a more diverse farming culture concentrating on biodynamic techniques.  The estate is now almost 40 hectares of vines, vineyards, olive trees, forest and natural truffle production. About 20 of these hectares are now planted in traditional grape varieties of the region – Trebbiano Spoletino, Grechetto, Sangiovese, Montepulciano and Sagrantino – the oldest of which are more than 40 years old. The vines have been certified organic by Ecocert since 2013, and since then only the use of sulfur and limited copper on the vines, the planting of soveccia - legumes, grains and other nitrogen-rich, complex-rooted plants that open the soil and add nutrients.  More recently, Angelo with his wife Letizia have begun working the farm completely in biodynamic techniques, seeking quality grapes over quantity production. They are fully satisfied with the results and now make the wines without the addition of sulfur  or any other enological products.

The four varieties are harvested and vinified separately, as their ripening times vary widely. Fermentation is spontaneous with native yeasts and a small amount of sulfur in closed stainless steel tanks with a 10-day maceration. The wine is blended and aged for at least 18 months in old Slavonian oak botti. It is bottled without filtration or additional sulfur and aged for 6 more months before release. 

Producer: Fongoli

Country: Italy

Region: Umbria

Varietal: Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Merlot, Sagrantino

Appellation: Montefalco

Vintage: 2019

Size: 750ml